


Of Inked Lines and Broken Hearts

by Basez_Dreams



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-24
Updated: 2012-01-24
Packaged: 2017-10-30 01:53:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/326460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basez_Dreams/pseuds/Basez_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is a small town rich kid, who, lets face it, is kinda naive. But then he meets Jensen, tattooist extraordinaire, and his world turns upside down. But Jensen has his own past he needs to put behind him. Will they even get that first kiss before one or both of them run scared?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Inked Lines and Broken Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to the memory of Sammyndeansgrl1.

"I don’t even see why you need me to come with you," Jared sighed, following Chad inside the brightly lit tattoo parlour. "You know I’m not good with needles."

"Well, you don’t actually have to look," Chad laughed, rolling his eyes at Jared as they approached the small reception desk. "Just, you know, turn around."

Jared pulled a face behind Chad’s back but kept silent. He hadn’t won this argument yet and probably never would, so it was best he didn’t even bother.

Chad had literally begged him to come with him today, adamant that he didn’t need Jared to hold his hand, he just thought it would broaden his friend's horizons. Jared knew that he was preppy and perhaps a little naïve, but honest to God, he liked it that way. So what if he hadn’t had sex or his body wasn’t marred with ghastly images? He liked it that way, thank you very much.

He couldn’t understand why they were in this part of town, anyway. They had tattoo parlours in the ’good’ side of town, so why here? Apparently this was the best place to go. Chad had explained that so many people raved about the place and that Jared should quit being a snob.

Chad had wanted a tattoo, but not for himself, well, not really. His girlfriend liked them and this was a surprise for her. But he wasn’t getting a simple design, oh no. He was getting a half a sleeve done.

"Dude, I’m going to marry this girl," Chad had said when Jared had questioned him. "I’d do anything for her. It’s not like she’s forcing me to get it done. She’ll be back from England in four weeks for good; she’s moving here for me and if this is what she likes, well, it’s the least I can do." Chad’s reasoning was so sweet it was almost sickening. As much as Jared adored Chad’s girlfriend, there was no way _he_ could ever do something like that for someone.

Jared waited as Chad dealt with the woman behind the desk who looked like a walking canvas, studying the ‘art’ that adorned the walls. Some of the designs looked simple enough, but quite a lot looked so complicated that they would surely take hours to do. He shuddered at the thought.

"Jensen should be out in a few. Take a seat."

Jared followed Chad to two empty seats to wait. His palms were sweating, and he half expected he was more nervous than his friend.

They had been waiting for approximately ten minutes before the door to the first room opened.

"Chad?"

At the sound of a deep voice with a soft, lilting accent, Jared looked up and felt his heart shudder within his chest. His eyes landed on who he supposed was Jensen, and his mouth went dry. The man was beautiful. Even from where he sat, he could see the crisp green of his eyes with a smudge of kohl beneath them. But then he noticed those eyes were looking at him and he quickly looked away and down at his hands.

"Yep, that’s me," Chad declared, standing up. He hit Jared on the shoulder and motioned him to come along.

Jared took a deep breath and followed him, looking anywhere where but at those eyes.

*****

Just as Jensen was finishing his break, the receptionist poked her head around the door and told him his one o’clock was there. He nodded in acknowledgment and threw his rubbish away before he went to prepare. He set out the unopened needles and tattoo gun before he opened the door and stepped out, calling the name of his appointment.

His eyes were almost immediately drawn to the lanky guy with the broad shoulders and shaggy hair. The first thought that went through his mind was _I want him_.

When the blond next to him stood up, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, but when the guy motioned to tall-dark-and-shaggy to come with him, he could feel his dick gave a twitch of excitement, especially since he caught him staring.  
 _  
 _This could be fun__

*******

Jared walked past the tattooist, eyes looking anywhere but at him. He hadn’t failed to notice the sleeve tattoo and the piercings that adorned his face and ears, and that made him nervous.

Jared had discovered he was gay when he was fifteen, so being 21, he wasn’t new to the concept. The actual act on the other hand, well, that was a different story. Jared was a virgin with a capital ‘V’, with both guys and girls. Throughout his early teenage years, he had been very awkward and kind of a geek. And the fact that he towered over everyone hadn’t helped; these factors combined did not score him any points with the fairer sex.

When he had finally realised he was gay (thanks to the good looks and killer body of Tony James, senior, and captain of the football team), he freaked out, imagining sealing the last nail in his social coffin shut. But he knew, just knew, he could turn to his parents. They had put his fears at rest, reassuring him that while they were worried for him, they still loved him and it didn’t matter to them that he was gay. He was still their son.

He supposed that as he got older, he focused more on his studies than getting laid. Hell, he was sure Chad had befriended him because he felt sorry for him.

So at 21 he was a virgin, shy, naïve and had only one real friend in the world. That pretty much was the reason why he felt so anxious about the guy with the tattoos and the piercings he could feel looking at him.

"So," he heard Jensen say to Chad. "What can I do for you today?"

Jared looked up as he saw a stool scraping back, watching Jensen as he sat. Chad was describing what he wanted, but Jared stood there, entranced by the way Jensen’s worn jeans pulled against his thighs, the rips at the knees revealing warm, pale skin.

Jensen nodded in the appropriate places as Chad spoke, while fiddling with his eyebrow bar. "Okay," he said, once Chad was finished talking. "We’ll do the outline today and then you’ll need to come back in a couple of weeks to get it filled in. That alright?"

At Chad’s nod, he stood up and went to wash his hands.

******

Halfway through the session, Jared still had not looked up to watch Jensen work on Chad’s arm. The buzz of the needle was enough to make him feel slightly queasy.

"So, doesn’t your friend talk?" he heard Jensen ask and he glared down at the floor.

"Not when he’s having a personal drama," Chad chuckled, then winced as the needle hit a particularly tender spot.

"Personal drama?" Jensen questioned, gaze never leaving his work.

"Yeah, he doesn’t like needles."

"So, no tattoo for you then?"

Jared raised his eyes to see Jensen looking at him. He shook his head slightly, feeling his cheeks burn.

"Damn, I would’ve liked to have put my mark on you."

Jared saw Jensen grin widely and give him a wink before he turned back to his work. Jared could feel the heat in his cheeks grow, and wished the session was over with already.

******

By the time Jensen had finally finished, Jared was desperate to leave. Jensen had kept saying things, either to him or about him that were full of innuendo, and it was throwing Jared for a loop. Never before had he received so much attention, and it had made him feel weird.

*******

While Chad went up to pay, Jared excused himself and went to the bathroom located in the back. He didn’t really have to use it, but he needed a moment to gather himself before they left. He had never met anyone like Jensen and it had been driving him insane, having no idea how to react to it. Truth be told, Jensen intimidated him. He had never seen anyone like him before; someone who was so good looking, but so…mysterious, with an air of danger.

As he had watched Jensen work, Jared couldn’t help but notice the way the light reflected off the piercings in his ears or the way his tongue slipped out to play with the ball resting on the outside of his lower mouth. Jensen had caught him staring a couple of times and would smirk before continuing, but the image burned in Jared’s mind.

Jared took a deep breath to calm his quaking nerves and stepped out of the door. He was headed back down the corridor when suddenly Jensen was there, heading towards him, a predatory look in his eyes.

Jared, even though the corridor was wide enough for the both of them, stepped into the wall so Jensen could pass. What he didn’t expect was for Jensen to stop in front of him and press against him, hips pushing into his. His eyes went wide and his blood rushed south when he felt a hardness that was clearly Jensen’s arousal digging into him. He swallowed heavily as his own body started to respond to the slight grind Jensen was providing.

He knew Jensen could feel his response when his eyes flashed darkly and his tongue flicked out of his mouth, across his lips, to reveal a silver ball in the middle of it.

If Jared wasn’t already at full mast, that would’ve done the trick. He couldn’t move.

But just as quickly as Jensen had been there, he was moving away, but not without pressing against him even more firmly.

"See you around, Jared," Jensen smirked before he was gone.

Jared stood there for a moment, trying to control his racing heart, his face feeling hot. With one look in the direction Jensen had gone, he pushed away from the wall and went to find Chad, the heat from Jensen’s body still lingering on him.

*****

Three days later, Jensen was walking across the street from his local Barnes and Noble, when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar, shaggy-haired giant getting a drink from the Starbucks at the front of the store. He paused mid-step, contemplating whether or not to go over and make himself known. But finally he just decided to stand there and watch him.

When Jared took his beverage from the counter and disappeared from sight, Jensen decided to go ahead and enter. He crossed the street and within moments he was in the store, peering down each aisle, trying to find the young man that he had not been able to stop thinking about--although he had just told himself it was just because he wanted to fuck him, nothing more.

Just when he was about to give up and turn around to leave, he glanced to his left and there he was, sitting at a lone table, his head buried in a book. Jensen’s heart skipped in his chest and he stepped back behind the stacks, keeping himself from sight.

This felt so illicit, literally spying on Jared, but he found himself not caring, especially when he poked his head around the corner and caught the intense look of concentration on the young man's face, even as he lifted sour worms to his mouth.

As he watched Jared devouring his candy, he felt himself stir in his pants, and finally made himself turn around and walk away. This was not the place to sprout wood.

******

Jared looked up from his graphic novel, a frown marring his face. He felt like he was being watched, but as he scanned his surroundings, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were only two people browsing the shelves near him, so he shrugged and turned back to Fray: Vampire Slayer of the Future.

******

A week later, Jared was back at the tattoo parlour with Chad for a check up. Apparently Jensen needed to check how well it was healing and if it needed any touch ups.

Jared was with Chad because they were going to look at rings, and Chad needed his input. At least, that was the theory. It had nothing to do with wanting to see Jensen again.

Same as the time before, they had to wait for about ten minutes before Jensen came out and called them in.

"Looks like it’s healing good," Jensen said as he examined the outline on Chad’s arm. "Your girl's gonna love this. She know you’re getting it done?"

Chad shook his head, grinning. "Nah, man. It’s going to be a surprise. Well, that and I’m gonna propose."

"Wow!" Jensen grinned. "Awesome. I hope she says yes. You got the ring?"

"Nope, that’s our next stop. Jared’s gonna help me pick it out."

"You trust him?" Jensen grinned, raising an eyebrow as he glanced over at Jared. He smirked as Jared glared at him.

Chad just laughed, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the other two men.

******

When Chad went out to make another appointment for a week's time to have the colour added to his tattoo, Jared made to follow him, but Jensen caught ahold of his arm and held him back.

"Um, Jared?"

"What?" Jared responded, his body suddenly feeling warm at Jensen’s close proximity.

"I thought you might like these," Jensen said, going over to his messenger bag and pulling out a bag of Sour Worms. He threw them over to Jared who caught them deftly.

"Sour Worms?" Jared asked confused, all the while wondering how Jensen knew what his favourite candy was.

"You just seem like the candy type," Jensen responded, turning away from Jared so he didn’t see the sudden colour in his cheeks.

"Er, thanks," Jared mumbled. He hung around in the doorway for a moment before going to find Chad, turning back to look at Jensen, who was busying himself with putting away his equipment.

**

The next time Jensen saw Jared out was not such an accident as it had been the first time. When Chad had mentioned to him exactly what jewellery store they would be going to, it took Jensen all of three seconds to decide that he would leave work early. He had no bookings after Chad anyway, so what better way to spend an afternoon? He refused to see that it was stalking, preferring to think of it as curiosity. Jensen had always been very good at deluding himself.

So now he found himself on the other side of the street, pretending he was browsing a selection of hand crafted china-wear in quaint little shop, peering through the window and watching Jared as he helped his friend choose the perfect ring.

Jensen’s gut tightened when he saw Jared suddenly laugh, and he almost dropped the bowl he was holding. Jared’s whole face seemed to brighten, dimples appearing on his cheeks, and suddenly Jensen couldn’t breathe properly.

His eyes widened comically as Jared’s gaze flicked across to where he was standing, and he panicked, ducking behind one of the stands full of vases. He waited for a moment before he peeked round the edge to see if the coast was clear.

Thankfully, Jared was not absorbed in what he was doing and Jensen took the chance to retreat, deciding that he really needed to forget Jared and get laid.

But even as he decided to go out that night, the image of Jared’s laughing face was burned in his mind.

********

Jared rolled his eyes at Chad, who was considerably drunk already, apparently ‘shaking his ass’ to the music.

Chad had bought a ring and had decided for the both of them that they would go out and celebrate. Jared had grudgingly agreed, even when he found out that Tom and his boyfriend Mike were coming. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them; he thought Tom was a great guy, and Mike was always a laugh, but they tended to go overboard on the PDA. He wasn’t grossed out or anything, it was just that he was jealous as hell. He wanted that companionship and passion, but as always, he pushed those thoughts to the furthest corner of his mind.

He had been surprised when Chad had agreed to go to a gay club, but looking at him now, he figured he was too wasted to care.

Jared sipped from his beer, leaning against the bar, watching his friends as they danced. He had a few men come up to him, but he politely declined their invitations.

For some reason or another, his gaze was suddenly drawn to the other side of the dance floor, and his heart almost stopped beating when he saw who was grinding up against another guy: Jensen.

He couldn’t stop staring at the way he was moving, but when the other man reached out and pulled Jensen’s head in for a kiss, Jared turned away, suddenly feeling sick.

His curiosity got the best of him and he glanced over again, just in time to see Jensen leading the twink into the bathroom.

Jared downed his drink and ordered another with a shot of tequila. He hated the stuff, but for some reason, he felt like getting wasted.

******

Jensen exited the bathroom ten minutes later, not feeling nearly as satisfied as he usually did. He hadn’t even bothered to reciprocate what was done to him and after being called a prick, the twink stormed out.

Jensen glanced at the dance floor, not bothering to join the pulsing movement of the mass of bodies. Instead, he started heading for the exit, bored with his evening.

But as he made his way toward the door, he happened to glance towards the bar and he stopped almost instantaneously when he saw the hulking figure using the counter to hold him up.

Jensen chewed on his lip nervously for a moment, unsure what to do. Should he go over and make himself known, or should he just leave Jared to his evening? It took him all of three seconds to decide, and he started moving toward him.

When he approached, he saw the line of empty shot glasses by Jared, and suddenly felt a little uneasy. Even so, he pushed that to back of his mind and let his cocky attitude surface.

"Hey," Jensen started, signaling to the bartender for a beer. "You here alone, tonight?"

He watched as Jared looked over at him, the way his eyes suddenly widened, then darkened. With what, Jensen couldn’t say.

"No. I’m here with friends, of which you are none of them." Jared spoke directly at him, a slight slur to his words. He turned back to his drink and swallowed it down in a long drag.

Jensen decided to ignore what Jared said, and continued. "You maybe want to go dance?" Usually he was so assertive, but it seemed with Jared, he was anything but. Instead he was acting like a nervous school girl on prom night. _Just a fuck_ , Jensen reminded himself. _That’s all you want._

"What, so you can then drag me into the bathroom to get your dick sucked like that other guy?" Jared shook his head. "I don’t think so."

"What other guy?" Jensen played dumb, knowing exactly what Jared was getting at, but not rising to the words.

"Forget it," Jared said and pushed away from the bar, intent on finding his friends to inform them he was going. "I don’t even like you."

Jensen just stared after him, wondering what that was all about, even though he did have a fair idea. He told himself that he wasn’t bothered by Jared’s rejection, but instead of looking for his next lay, he went home to jerk off thinking about the tall, dark haired man and what he was doing to him.

*******

Jared woke up the next morning with the mother of all hangovers. He hadn’t stopped drinking when he got in. Chad had selflessly shared his cheap bottle of whiskey, and my God, he was paying for it now. It was times like these, when he felt like death warmed up, that he was glad that he lived off campus in his own place, rather than having to puke in the communal bathrooms.

Ten minutes later, he staggered out of the bathroom, mouth now minty-fresh, but the burn of bile still at the back of this throat.

Damn Jensen and damn himself for being so affected by what he saw. He really wished that he had never gone with Chad to the tattoo parlour, because then he wouldn’t feel like this; he wouldn’t feel so insecure and so damn confused. He wished that he could be like Chad or, hell, like Mike or Tom, and just go get what he wants. But that man, he only wanted one thing. And even though Jared knew he was attracted to him, and maybe a little scared of him, he didn’t want to be a fuck-toy that could just be discarded once Jensen was done playing. He wanted the real thing, and it was obvious that Jensen wasn’t the one to give him that. So, he should just move on.

Easier said than done.

******

Around an hour later, Chad surfaced, looking as bad as Jared felt. That made him feel a little better.

"Ugh," Chad moaned, collapsing down onto the sofa. "I’m never drinking again."

Jared chuckled. "That’s what you said last week."

"Well, I mean it this time."  
 _  
 _Sure,__ Jared thought, shaking his head to himself. "You want any food?" Jared asked, getting up and grabbing his wallet. "I’m making a McDonald’s run."

Chad groaned again and covered his eyes, but that didn’t stop him from asking for fries. Those fries were the best he had ever tasted, and there was no way he was gonna let a hangover stop him from having any.

Jared told him he would be a few minutes and then he left, mind fully on what he intended to order.

******

The drive-thru queue was far too long for Jared’s liking, so he parked and went in, not at all surprised when he saw that there was only one person that was being served. He was too busy looking at the menus above the counter to step out of the way of the person in front of him. He was jostled out of his thoughts as said person bumped into him by accident and he quickly started to apologise, but then he saw who it was.

"Jensen?"

"Hey, Jared," Jensen smiled wanly, eyes covered by thin, black rimmed glasses.

"What’re you doing here? Are you following me?"

Jensen blushed at the same time he looked incredulous. "Dude, I was here first. Wouldn’t that constitute you following me?" Jensen grinned at the look of embarrassment on Jared’s face. "So, er, hangover cure?"

"Something like that," Jared muttered, the shock of seeing Jensen now wearing off and that all too familiar sense of nerves fluttering in his stomach.

"You maybe wanna sit with me? I mean, if you’ve got no where to be." Jensen was fully prepared to be shot down, especially after last night, but was pleasantly surprised when Jared agreed.

"Sure." Chad could wait for his damned fries.

Jared got his food and went to sit down opposite Jensen, who had already started tucking into his hash browns.

"Mmm, I don’t care how greasy these things are, I love them," Jensen spoke around a mouthful of food, loving the feeling of the grease against his lips.

"Me too," Jared said, opening his Egg-McMuffin.

As they ate, there was a lull in the conversation. Neither man really knew what to say, but for different reasons. Jared was too nervous, not only because he was attracted to Jensen, but also because of the person Jensen seemed to be.

Jensen, on the other hand, was trying to come up with a plausible reason to see Jared again, but without it being a date or anything, because he didn’t do dates.

"Um, I was kinda wondering," Jared started. "Do you do that a lot?"

Jensen put down his cup and looked directly at Jared. "Do what a lot?"

"Take random men into the bathroom to fuck." Jared said bluntly, this sudden burst of courage coming from nowhere.

Jensen almost started laughing at the bluntness of the question. "I thought you didn’t even like me," he smirked, repeating Jared’s words from the night before.

Jared shrugged, going red. "I-I don’t…not like _that_. I’m just curious."

Jensen grinned, but he answered as honestly as he felt comfortable with. "Sometimes, yeah."

"Why?" Jared asked curiously. "Doesn’t it get boring?"

"Boring?" Jensen thought about that for a moment. "No, not boring," _just lonely as hell_ , but he didn’t voice that. "What’s boring about getting laid by different types of people and not having to deal with all the crap of a relationship? Besides, I don‘t have time to do the settling down thing."

Jared nodded, his heart dropping at the other man's words. The hope that he had been trying quash had been completely flattened by Jensen’s admission. "Oh," was all he could say.

Jensen mentally kicked himself. Why did he always have to return to his defensive mechanism; fuck or be fucked? But no matter how much he wanted to just say ‘screw it’ and try some semblance of a ‘normal relationship’, possibly with Jared, he couldn’t. He had tried it before, and he swore that he would never put himself in that position of vulnerability again. Not for anyone.

"I can’t imagine ever doing that," Jared said. "I don’t think I could just sleep with someone I didn’t know."

"I guess that’s where you and I are different. You want love and I…don’t." _Liar_.

"There other day, when you pressed up against me? Was I just going to be another conquest for you?"

"You want the truth?"

"Yeah. Please."

Jensen took a deep breath before he spoke. "The truth is that I thought you were hot, in that preppy college kid kinda way, and I wanted you. But I could see that you were different from the rest, and I couldn’t help but mess with you a little. Why, did it freak you out?"

"What? No! I was just surprised." Jared blushed yet again, both with embarrassment and pleasure over the fact that Jensen had wanted him. "Do-do you still want me?"

Jensen swallowed and almost told him the truth. Almost. He laughed and shook his head, his stomach churning while he did it. "Nah, man. That passing fancy has been and gone. You’re safe." The hurt in Jared’s eyes was unmistakable.

"Listen, I gotta go," Jared said abruptly. "Gotta get Chad his fries before he wastes away."

Jensen nodded, not being able to bring himself to retract what he said and tell the young man the truth. "Ok. I’ll see you next week then, for Chad’s appointment."

Jared had decided he wouldn’t be going back with his friend; but then, if that was the only way he would see Jensen again, he would go. "Yeah, see you then."

Jensen gave a quick grin before he headed out, back to his car, and back to his lonely little life.

**

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem?" Chad grouched as he found himself subjected to Jared’s moping yet again. "Ever since Saturday night, you have done nothing but act like a kid whose puppy got put down. Now, are you gonna spill or are you just gonna be a pissy bitch all day?"

Jared clenched his teeth, refusing to answer Chad. He didn’t _want_ Chad to know what was wrong with him. As much as he loved his best friend, he knew there was just no way he could understand.

"Jay, c’mon, man. It ain’t doing any good keeping it in, ya know?"

Jared only sighed, clenching his eyes shut. Why was he cursed with being so transparent?  
  
"Call him," Chad said, throwing Jared his phone.  
  
"What?" Jared asked, his head snapping up.  
  
"Call. Him." Chad was looking at him, big smile on his face. "You got it bad for him and don't even know it. Who'da thought you had a thing for piercings and tats!" he laughed shoving his friend's leg. "Call him," Chad said, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and flinging the tattoo parlour’s card into his lap.  
  
"What would I say? 'Hey, it's Jared - and I have this crush on you, even though you're not interested, wanna have dinner'?" Jared groaned.  
  
"He's not interested? How do you know?"  
  
"He said he wasn't."  
  
"I don't believe it. I saw him looking at you."  
  
"Well, he might want me to be a conquest, but I'm not - I don't know...I want it to be right, not just a fuck to get it over with," Jared sighed.  
  
Chad started giggling.  
  
"WHAT?" Jared asked indignantly.

"Nothing!" Chad lied, still smirking to himself. "I just can’t believe my baby’s all grown up."

Jared flipped him off and stood, taking both his phone and the card into his room, deciding that he was going to take a chance for once, instead of letting it slip by.

********

Jared bit the inside of his lip as the he listened to the ringing through his phone. His palms were sweaty from the sudden onset of nerves. Maybe he should have planned this out, because he had no idea what to say.

Before he could even think of hanging up, someone picked up at the other end.

"Intricate Inks, how can I help?"

Jared swallowed heavily as he tried to get his voice to work. Did he really want to go through with this?

"Hello? Is anyone on the line?"

Taking a deep breath, Jared responded. "Yeah, sorry. Um, I’d like to make an appointment for a tattoo with Jensen."

"Ok, hold on a sec…"

Jared's stomach clenched with nerves as he listened to the sound of pages being turned.

"Oh, you’re in luck. He’s had a cancellation this afternoon, so if you can make it down in half an hour, then I’ll pencil you in."

"Uh, yeah, that’d be good. Thank you." Half an hour? Was he completely insane?

"Good. Right, what name is it?" the receptionist asked.

"Padalecki," Jared replied, his fingers beginning to tremble with sudden nerves. "Jared Padalecki."

"Ok, Jared," the woman spoke. "We'll see you in a few."

"Thank you." Jared ended the phone call and dropped onto his bed. Oh God! What was he supposed to wear?

******

Jared had finally decided on jeans with flip-flops and a plain pink t-shirt, and now here he was, just about to step inside the parlour. His hand trembled as he pulled open the door and made his way over to the reception counter.

"Hi," he spoke to the woman, who had been there before when he had been with Chad. "I have an appointment with Jensen?"

"Jared, right? Take a seat and fill out these forms and he'll be right with you."

Jared took the papers and gave her a half hearted smile before he made his way to an empty seat and started filling out the forms. Before long, he was left waiting for Jensen to come out and just as he was about to chicken out, Jensen came out, an amused smile on his face.

"When Frankie said a Jared was coming in, I never thought it would be you. I thought you hated tattoos?"

Jared frowned. "I don't _hate_ them," Jared defended himself. "I just...never wanted one until now. "

"Riiiight," Jensen smirked. "Well, come on. Let's go see what you want."

Jared followed Jensen like an obedient puppy, all the while his eyes were trained on his ass.

Jensen shut the door behind them both and walked over to the pile of binders he had. "There are some designs in here, but I figured you'd want to start off with something small, right?"

Jared nodded dumbly.

"So, what were you thinking? Star sign? Barcode? The elements?"

"Uh, a star sign would be good."

Jensen looked down and sifted through the binders before locating the one he was after. He flipped it open to somewhere near the middle and handed it over to Jared. "Here are a bunch of different designs for the star signs. Pick one out and we'll get started."

Jared did as he was told, although nearly all his attention was focused on Jensen as he started preparing the equipment. Jared idly flipped through the designs until he found one which was simple and understated enough, saying so to the other man.

"Cool," Jensen took the binder from Jared and set about drawing the design onto a piece of the transfer paper. "So where do you want it?" he asked Jared as he concentrated on what he was doing.

"Um, I dunno. Where do you think it would look good?" Jared bit his lip, not wanting to go through with it, but not knowing what else to do to get Jensen's attention.

Jensen looked up, gazing at Jared intently. He had been surprised to see the young man there, and while on the outside he seemed calm and collected, inside he was trembling. It was unnerving that this man caused him to have such a reaction. "Maybe your wrist? Or your hip would be pretty good."

Jared thought it over for a moment before speaking again. "I think my hip...would be better."

Jensen grinned at the nervousness that was so plainly written on Jared face. "Awesome. Right, well, get up on the couch and undo your jeans."

While Jared did as he was told, Jensen slipped on his glasses and put a pair of latex free gloves on. He turned towards Jared and almost swallowed his tongue. Jared looked like sin personified, and Jensen wanted to devour him. He mentally shook himself free off such thoughts and disinfected Jared's hip, then transferred the design onto his skin.

Jared felt shaky and kind of sweaty as Jensen touched him. His heart was racing so hard and fast in his chest that he thought it was about to break free. He really wasn't sure he could go through with it...

When Jensen put the needle into the gun, Jared suddenly felt lightheaded, and when Jensen switched it on, everything went black.

******

Jensen looked at Jared in stunned shock before he turned off the gun and put it down. He chuckled slightly at the sight of the unconscious man on his table. Truth be told, he was shocked Jared had gotten as far as he did. He slipped the gloves off, then moved closer to Jared, tapping his face lightly, trying to bring him round.

"C'mon Jay, open your eyes." Jensen gently stroked the side of Jared's face, revelling in the smooth texture. God, this man was beautiful...and so far off from anyone Jensen had ever gone for before. If Jensen allowed himself to indulge in Jared, he knew he would lose himself and by God, he was petrified of that. "But you really are something," he whispered, knowing Jared couldn't hear him.

After another moment or two of Jensen patting Jared's cheeks, the younger man shifted and groaned slightly as he woke up, his eyes flickering open. When his eyes fell on Jensen, Jared's entire face went red and he brought his hands up to hide himself.

"You ok?" Jensen asked, barely containing the mirth in his eyes.

"I can't believe I just fainted."

"Well, you lasted longer than I thought you would," Jensen chuckled. "Didn't figure you'd pass out, though."

"I just really hate..."

"Needles. I know. Chad told me the first time you guys were here."

Jared pulled his hands away from his face and looked up in confusion. "The why did you...?"

"I realised you didn't come here for a tattoo. I was just passing time until you got out what you wanted to say."

"Huh." It surprised Jared in a way at how intuitive Jensen was. Looks really were just part of the person.

"So," Jensen sat down on his stool and made himself comfortable. "Why did you come here? And you might want to do up your pants."

Jared flushed but did as was suggested. He was silent a moment while he mulled over in his mind at where he wanted to begin. _May as well just drive right in. "_ Why don't you want me anymore? I mean, I saw the way you were looking at me the first time I met you, and yes, you scared me a little, but I couldn't not be affected by you...I just, aren't I good enough for you? And I mean for more than just a fuck, because I saw what you do and I want more than that. I like you, but I kinda like me too, and I deserve better than to be a bed warmer for a night. I just...I want to know."

Jensen took his time answering, not really shocked at what Jared had said, but was still a little stunned all the same.

"I don't know how to respond to that," Jensen admitted, looking down at his hands. "I mean, what can I possibly say? Yes, I find you attractive, but you want more than I'm willing to give. I can't be your happily ever after, Jay. I'm not that kind of man," _liar._ Damn his inner voice. "I don't want to settle down, I don't want the complication of a relationship," _liar,_ "I don't want to be with just one person," _liar,_ "I don't want to be with just you." _LIAR!_

Each word Jensen was saying was hitting Jared like a slap in the face, but he still didn't believe him. "You're such a fucking liar. A liar and a coward. Why can't you just give me a chance? Give _us_ a chance??"

Jensen stood up in frustration, running his hands through his hair as he walked over to the far side of the room. "There is no us, and there never will be. I. Don't. Want. You. Just...just leave. Just get out and go back to your life, because there is no place for you in mine." Those words were like acid on his tongue, burning with every syllable.

Jared stood, keeping his head high. "I know you're lying and one day, you'll realise it, too." He walked right up to Jensen, his eyes searching his face. "And I'll wait. Because I know what I feel is real and for keeps. I'm sorry if that scares you, but I need you to know how I feel." With that he leaned in and pressed his lips gently against Jensen's before he turned and left the him alone.

Ten minutes later, Jensen was still standing there, fingers pressed against his lips, eyes suspiciously wet.

********

Jared stood outside, gasping for breath, Jensen's words heavy in his mind. Jensen was a stubborn son-of-a-bitch, and Jared knew that he would be a waiting a long time for him, if not forever. Inside he felt that he had lost the battle even though it had only just started. But he had the rest of the war. He wouldn't come back with Chad for his next visit; he would give Jensen some space to let his words sink in. But he _would_ go back in a week or so. He would make himself a constant in Jensen's life until he realised what Jared already knew.

He had never imagined that when he found someone it would be this difficult, but he knew deep down that Jensen was worth it. Jared just hoped that Jensen didn't prove him wrong.

**

Throughout the week Jared had waited to go back to Jensen, Jensen had been able to do nothing but think about the young man's words and the way they made him feel. Unfortunately, though, whenever he got closer to analysing those feelings, he forcefully stopped them and pushed them to the back of his mind. He refused to admit to himself that Jared was right, instead just burying his head in his work and brain-dead twinks. He didn’t think about how he wasn’t able to come.

When Chad came in for his colour to be done, Jensen felt his heart wilt a little in his chest when he realised he had come alone. He pasted a smile on his face and talked easily enough with Chad, trying to pay attention to what the other man was saying as he worked.

An hour into the appointment, there was a lull in the conversation and Chad saw this as the right opportunity to talk about Jared.

"So, you’ve really done a number on Jared," Chad started off, watching the tattooist carefully.

Jensen almost flinched, grateful for his steady hand. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully as he pulled the needle away from Chad’s skin.

"I’ve never seen that guy as mopey as he is right now; I just figured it had something to do with you. God knows I’ve heard him call out your name in the shower enough times this week."

Jensen felt his face flush at that information and busied himself with applying more colour to Chad’s arm.

"Can’t you just, I don’t know, take him out or something so he cheers the fuck up? He’s doing my head in!" Chad chuckled. He loved his best friend, he really did. But when he sulked, it was like a black cloud had settled over the entire house.

"I’ve already told him I’m not interested," Jensen gritted out, sounding unconvincing even to his own ears. "He’ll get over it."

"Right," Chad said, not sounding like he believed Jensen at all. He wasn’t going to press the issue, although he did say one last thing. "Just to warn you, dude. Jared is like a dog with a bone; once he’s got something in his sights, he will damn well get it. Might make things a little easier if you just…gave in."

*******

The rest of Chad’s appointment passed quickly, the conversation staying on what Jensen thought were safer topics. The finished product of Chad’s sleeve was better than Jensen had hoped.

Chad was pleased with the tattoo and thanked Jensen profusely.

When Jensen had bid him goodbye, Chad just smirked and said, "I’m sure I’ll see you soon." And then he turned and went to settle up the payment.

Jensen sighed to himself and went back to his room, clearing away inks and such before his next appointment came in, all the while trying to forget a certain giant with smiling eyes.

******

The week had passed far too slowly for Jared’s liking. He hadn’t been able to function properly, Jensen's words still echoing in his head. He truly believed Jensen hadn’t meant them, but that didn’t stop the effect they had on him.

He was sure he had pissed Chad off because of his foul mood and Chad made no secret of the fact that he'd heard him jerking off in the shower one too many times. Jared had the decency to feel ashamed, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from doing it.

Now it was Friday again, exactly one week since the last time he had seen Jensen. He intended to go to class and then finish off a couple of papers before going to wait for Jensen to finish work. He knew Intricate Inks closed late on Friday night, and rather than going in and cornering Jensen, he decided to wait outside for him to finish. That way, Jensen wouldn’t feel caged, and if he chose to walk away, Jared would just follow him.

His classes passed by in a blur of complicated texts and overzealous professors. Usually he enjoyed their enthusiasm, but today, he just wanted to get on with it already. He never thought he would want his Ancient History class to pass by quickly. He lived for history, but today, his mind was focused entirely on the present.

He managed to get his most pressing papers done to his satisfaction, going over them with a fine-tooth comb to make sure he said everything he wanted to say within the guidelines. For a 2,000 word essay, he often found himself writing close to 4,000. The curse of being genuinely enthused, he guessed.

When he was finished, he had a quick shower and pulled on the clothes he had picked out the night before. He wanted to look good, but without looking like he was trying too hard. He let his hair dry naturally, allowing it to curl around his neck. With one final look in his mirror, he called out to Chad that he would see him later, grabbed his phone, wallet and keys and headed out the door.

******

By the time he got to Intricate Inks it was already dark. He parked and got out of his car and waited. Right there, just to the left of the parlour, back to the alley that ran along the side of the building. He checked his watch, noting that Jensen should be coming out sometime in the next 10 minutes.

He stood there, completely unaware of the sudden movement behind him. He blanched in surprise when he was grabbed from behind and pulled into the alley. After a moment, he senses kicked in and he tried to struggle out of the hold on him, but froze when he felt the cool, sharp blade of a knife pressed against his neck.

"Gimme your wallet," came a strangled voice from behind him; foul smelling breath washed over him. He fumbled in his pockets, but his hands were shaking, and he couldn’t get ahold of it. "Gimme your fucking wallet or I’ll slit your throat!"

"H-hold on," Jared managed to say, trying desperately to keep his cool with this sudden turn of events. "You’re holding me too tight, I can’t get it." The hold on him only got tighter.

"I said get your wallet, fag," the voice threatened, but then, the sounds of Jensen and whoever else was left in the building coming out was heard and the grip slackened.

That was all he needed, and Jared elbowed the guy in the stomach, winding him, and then Jared turned around to deliver a punch to his attacker's face. He wasn’t expecting the mugger to recover as quickly as he did, and all too sudden, he felt pain blossoming in his gut, then his chest and finally his head before everything went black.

******

Jensen came out of Intricate Inks, locking the door behind him as he bid goodnight to Frankie. He was so pleased that the workday was finally over and couldn’t wait to get home and down a couple of beers while watching some crappy B-movie on TV. As he started walking away, his ears suddenly tuned into a strange sound, and it was enough to pull his attention toward the alley’s entrance. He blinked into the darkness, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the dim light, and that’s when he saw the figure lying prone on the ground, no one else around.

Without thinking, he ran over to the person, his heart stopping when he got close enough to see who it was.

"Jared?"

Jensen dropped down beside him as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, immediately dialling 911. He pressed his fingers against Jared’s neck as the call connected, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt the steady beat of his heart beneath his fingers. Even in the darkness of the alley he could see the bruises beginning to bloom on Jared’s face and wondered what the fuck had happened.

*******

When the ambulance arrived, Jared still hadn’t woken up, and Jensen had started to blame himself. It was obvious Jared had been waiting for him; why hadn’t he come out earlier, instead of taking extra time in talking to Christian on the phone?

He stepped back as the paramedics took control, explaining that he had found him like this and no, he didn’t know what had happened. He swallowed heavily as they rolled Jared over, his body lax and beaten, before they got him on a stretcher to load him into the back of the ambulance.

It didn’t even occur to Jensen think about not going with him; he got in the back without so much as a second glance.

*******

When they arrived at the hospital, Jensen followed the gurney as far as he could before he was stopped and shown into a waiting room. He was questioned about Jared, asked whether he had the number of who they could contact, but Jensen couldn’t answer them. He gave them Chad’s name, but other than that, he couldn’t supply them with any answers.

When he asked about Jared’s condition, they just said that they would let him know as soon as they knew anything. Jensen wondered whether they would. He wasn’t anything to Jared, wasn’t related to him or his partner. But Jensen waited anyway, he wasn’t going to leave Jared alone. Anything could happen and he wanted to be there for Jared, someone he cared for, if it did.

He sat down and allowed himself to think about what had happened to Jared. It was obvious he had been mugged, his empty wallet discarded on the ground, his phone gone. For the second time, Jensen wished he had come out that much earlier, thinking that he would’ve been able to prevent the mugging. He knew he shouldn’t blame himself, but he couldn’t help it. Jared was a force to be reckoned with as far as he was concerned, and there was no way in Hell he had deserved what had happened to him.

Thinking about the worst case scenario caused his blood to run cold. If _that_ had happened, then Jensen would have missed out on what could’ve been the best thing to ever happen to him.

Why did he have to be such a stubborn shit? Why didn’t he just give Jared, give them, a chance? _Because you’re a chicken shit_ , came the reply. Well, he wasn’t going to be anymore. When he was able to see Jared, he would tell him, would let him know that he wanted to give them a chance.

*******

Two hours went by and no one had come to see Jensen. He was slowly going out of his mind, wondering what the hell was going on. In the end, he decided to just go and find out for himself.

He managed to find a nurse and basically threatened her if she didn’t tell him what was going on. She looked at him wide eyed, slightly intimidated as she told him about Jared's condition.

It turned out that Jared had been moved to his own room, 215, and was being monitored because he hadn’t woken up yet. Other than that, his injuries weren’t too serious. The only thing the doctors were really concerned about was the fact he had yet to wake up.

Jensen thanked the nurse curtly and made his way to Jared’s room. He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to see him because he wasn’t family, but he managed to sneak his way into the room without being noticed. He shut the door and closed the blinds before he turned to the bed, his limbs suddenly shaking.

Jared looked awful, so unlike the enigma that had spoken to him boldly the week before. The beeping of machines kept Jensen grounded, and soon he was by Jared’s side, picking up his hand as he sat down on the hard, plastic chair.

"You’ve gone to some extraordinary lengths to capture my attention," Jensen laughed, the sound hollow. "Well, you’ve done it. For some reason, I can’t help but feel scared of not having you in my life and not giving you the chance that you want. So, you better wake your ass up, because I don’t appreciate a…" he swallowed," boyfriend…who sleeps the day away."

He spent the rest of the evening sitting in silence, still holding Jared's hand, refusing to leave even when his doctor demanded it.

*****

It was close to 11pm when Jensen finally felt Jared stir. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to remove any traces of sleep as he watched the younger man fight his way back to consciousness.

He heard Jared groan and reached his hand up to sift gently through his hair. "Hey, Jay," he whispered. "You’re safe, you’re ok."

Jared blinked his eyes open and squinted as he tried to focus. "Jensen?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

"Yeah, Jay, it’s me." Jensen smiled tenderly, not letting his hand move from his head.

"What-what happened? I was waiting for you to finish work and…"

"You were mugged. Found you unconscious in that alley. You’ve been out for a good four hours."

Jared grimaced as he remembered. "Damn fucker had a knife."

Jensen closed his eyes as an image flashed in his mind at how differently this could have ended. "Why did you come to see me?" Jensen asked, forcing his eyes open.

"Had to see if you were still being a braindead idiot." Jared grinned slightly, wincing when it pulled at his bruised cheek.

"Well, you wouldn’t have been disappointed," he admitted. "But, Jared…this happening to you…God, I was so scared. I thought I had lost my chance, that you would be taken from me before I even got a chance to pull my head out of my ass and tell you I wanted to give us a go, that you were right about everything you said."

"Um…what?" Jared asked, none too eloquently. He wasn’t sure if it was his sleep-muddled brain or the fact that he was still unconscious and having a none-too-fair dream.

"I want to be with you," Jensen supplied, trying to be as clear as possible. "And I promise to not fuck around on you, but I can’t promise not to hurt you. I’ve…my past…it’s not good…and I’m scared as hell, but I will try. We just have to go slow."

Jared smiled, wide and bright, despite his protesting muscles. "Slow is good. Slow is very good."

**

Jared was released from the hospital the following morning, still feeling a little groggy, but a whole lot better than he had felt for the past few weeks. And that reason was sitting in the driver's seat, taking him home. He still needed to pick up his own car, but Jensen had told him he wouldn't be going anywhere today and had arranged for a friend of his to collect the keys and then drop it back.  
  
When they arrived at Jared's home, Jensen wondered whether Chad would be there and why the hell he hadn't turned up at the hospital. The nurses said that they would call him, but after that, Jensen hadn't heard anything. If it was because he couldn't be bothered, then Jensen was going to kick his ass, Jared's friend or not.  
  
*******  
  
They pulled up outside the small house and Jared mentioned that Chad's car wasn't there, so he assumed he was out. Probably hadn't even looked at his messages yet.  
  
Before the car had barely stopped, Jensen was out of the vehicle, and rushing round the side to get Jared's door.

Jared huffed out and laugh. "I'm not an invalid, you know."  
  
Jensen blushed and nodded, stepping away from the car, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Right. Sorry."  
  
"Don't be," Jared replied, getting out and slamming the door shut behind him. "I kinda like it." It was his turn to blush, but before he allowed this moment to become anymore uncomfortable, he was hurrying up to the house, unlocking the front door. Jensen was behind him in moments and followed him inside. He shivered in the coolness of the hallway, a direct contrast to the heat of the sun outside, and gasped slightly when Jensen wrapped his arms around him, lending him his warmth.  
  
"You're cold," Jensen stated the obvious, but didn't care at how lame he sounded when Jared leant back into the embrace, right there, in the hallway, the door barely closed.  
  
"Yeah," Jared replied softly, goosebumps breaking out on his arms, but for a whole other reason.  
  
"You wanna lay down for a while?" Jensen asked, lips pressed against Jared's ear.  
  
"Will you stay with me?" Jared asked, hesitation clear in his voice.  
  
"If that's what you want."  
  
"It is."  
  
******  
  
So for the past couple of hours, Jensen had been sitting against the headboard of Jared's bed, just watching him while he slept. He had tried watching the small television in Jared's room for a while, then tried reading a couple of magazines before he finally gave up and just watched the younger man rest. He was unaware of time as it slipped by, too intent on trying to memorise every intricate detail of Jared's face, every mole, every crease...heck, every black head! And why that didn't strike him as odd, he'd rather not know right now.  
  
His butt had long since been numb, but he didn't dare move, not wanting to wake the slumbering man who was now pressed up against him, arm slung over his thighs. Why he had tried to deny this, he could not remember. He knew it would take a lot of work, especially on his part, He had a lot of demons to conquer, but with Jared by his side, he knew anything was possible.  
  
******  
  
When Jared eventually woke, it wasn't to sweet murmurings or to light caresses, it was to someone jumping on top of him, clinging to him as if their life depended on it.  
  
Jared tried to look at his attacker, pretty sure it wasn't Jensen, only to see that it was his douche of a best friend that was plastered against him like a second skin.  
  
"Chad…what're you doing?" Jared asked, his voice still husky with sleep.  
  
"I just got messages from the hospital and when I got there they told me you had been discharged, so I got here as fast as I could." Chad pulled back, just enough to look him over, trying to make sure for himself that he was ok. "God, I'm so sorry I wasn't there, man. I went out with Mike and Tom and I had my phone off. I'm sorry you had to be alone."  
  
Jared smiled gently at his friend, touched by his concern. "I wasn't alone," he told Chad.  
  
"What? Well, who was with you?"  
  
Jared was about to answer but then Jensen came back into the room, carrying grilled cheese sandwiches and a couple of cans of Sprite on a tray.  
  
"I was," Jensen answered, having heard Chad's question. He came into the room and sat back down on the bed, careful to avoid the human pile of Jared and Chad. He set the tray down and took a half a sandwich, taking a bite. He smirked inwardly at the look on Chad's face, obviously slightly confused with his presence.  
  
"Me and Jensen are together now," Jared informed his friend, laughing at the look on Chad's face. If only his girl could see him now, she would surely dump his weird ass. But then Chad smiled and smothered him in a hug.  
  
"It only took you getting mugged, but that's fucking awesome!"  
  
Jared laughed and looked towards Jensen ,who was still eating, for help, but with a smile on his face.  
  
"Right, so now you know I'm ok, and why Jensen's here, could you maybe, er, leave?" Jared pushed Chad off him and managed to sit up.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Sorry." Chad stood up and straightened his clothes. "I'm glad you're ok," Chad said just before he left the room, his voice and face serious. And then he was gone, leaving Jared alone with Jensen.  
  
"I hope you're gonna leave me something," Jared said, grinning as he snagged a can of soda, noticing that Jensen had devoured a couple of the sandwiches.

"I'm starving."

"How starving?" Jensen asked, cocking his eyes brow. He shifted and moved the tray from the bed and onto the floor. He plucked the can from Jared's hand and put it down on the bedside table before moving closer to him, barely a few inches between them.

"W-what do you mean?" Jared asked, his heart rate suddenly rising, feeling a little breathless. His eye lids suddenly felt heavy and his gaze was focused on the way Jensen licked his lower lip.

"How starving are you?" Jensen reiterated, leaning closer, so his lips were just brushing against Jared's.

"Very," Jared whispered, his hand coming up to cup the side of Jensen's face. His eyes slipped closed as Jensen captured his mouth with his own, pressing against him almost chastely before his mouth dropped open with a gasp, allowing Jensen's tongue to quest inside.

Jensen's hand on Jared's hip slipped around to his back and slid up until it was cradling Jared's head, their kissing getting deeper in intensity. No kiss had ever felt this good before, and he knew it had everything to do with the 6' 4" man in his arms.

"Oh God," Jared panted as they pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other. He still had his eyes closed, his mind reeling from the feel of Jensen's lips against his.

"Are you ok?" Jensen asked, thumb stroking along the nape of Jared’s neck, caressing the soft skin.

Jared leaned back slightly, opening his eyes and smiling. "Perfect."

******  
  
 **One month later**  
  
Jensen was sprawled out on his couch, head in Jared's lap asleep. They'd been up late watching a movie, and then talked into the wee hours of the morning about everything but their past relationships.  
  
Well, Jared, of course, didn't have any, and Jensen - he had, well, Jared knew about his more the promiscuous lifestyle, but he knew that wasn't the reason he was uncomfortable telling Jared these things about himself. Jared knew there was something, someone from his past, that Jensen was hiding, but he didn't pressure him into telling him. He would when he was good and ready. Instead, Jared had only kissed him and almost said that he loved him, quickly halting when he felt how tense Jensen was.  
  
They still hadn't gone all the way, as Jensen wanted to make sure that he could abstain and stay true to only him before he was willing to take Jared's virginity. Not that Jared hadn't been trying...Jensen just wouldn't.  
  
Jensen had ended up falling asleep first, head laid back against the couch, mouth open and snoring. Jared was just about to wake him up and head him toward his bed and then leave when Jensen had shifted on the couch, laying down in his lap. Jared didn't have the heart to wake him.  
  
Jared was now in the uncomfortable position, head back against the couch - asleep.

Jensen turned his head, then his body - his face coming in direct contact with Jared's tenting erection. Apparently he was having one hell of a dream. Jensen chuckled at the sight of his boyfriend's boner practically bopping him on the nose. He smirked to himself and looked up to see that Jared was sound asleep, albeit uncomfortably so. Looking back down at the tenting fabric, it took Jensen two seconds to decide to pop open the button fly and release the hard flesh through the opening in Jared's boxers.

Jared snuffled and murmured in his sleep, shifting ever so slightly, his cock brushing against Jensen's mouth. Jensen groaned quietly, and allowed his tongue to sneak out and taste it.The musky flavour exploded over his tongue, the ball of his piercing rubbing against the sensitive skin.

Jensen heard Jared gasp and he looked up with a smirk to see Jared's sleepy gaze looking down at him, eyes sparkling with barely concealed lust.

"Jensen..."

Jensen took this as an invitation, and moved so he was kneeling on the floor between Jared's splayed legs. He told Jared to lift his hips and when he did, he pulled both his jeans and boxers down so they were at his knees.

"Wanna make you come," Jensen told Jared huskily, eyes wide and pupils dilated.

"Please..." Jared groaned, head falling back on the couch as he felt Jensen’s breath ghost over him. "Jen...please..."

Jensen didn't need anymore encouraging and swooped down, taking the head of Jared's cock into his mouth, causing the younger man to cry out and buck his hips. Jensen didn't try to press him down, instead preferring the way he demanded Jensen to take him deeper. And Jensen, being a good boyfriend, obliged.

Making sure the ball of his piercing hit the sensitive bundle of nerves under the head, Jensen opened his mouth wider and allowed Jared to thrust up into him, enjoying the way that Jared's hands had found their way to the back of his head, tugging at his hair. He moaned when he opened his own jeans and curled his fist around his own aching cock, needing to ease the burn of lust that was flowing through his body.

The vibrations from his moan pulled several profanities from Jared's mouth.

"Jen," Jared panted, lifting his head to look at his lover on his knees. "Fuck, Jen....please...I need - I need to come..."

Jensen's hand sped up on his own cock as his other hand cradled Jared's balls, then slipping below to rub against Jared's perineum. That was all the stimulation Jared needed and within seconds, he was arching his back and crying out as his dick exploded white hot heat into Jensen's mouth.

As soon as the taste hit Jensen's tongue, he was grunting and coming in his hand, trying to swallow everything Jared was giving him while sparks of electricity were coursing through his veins.

Before Jensen had time to recover properly, Jared was suddenly on the floor beside him, kneeling in the same position and pulling him into him. He groaned when Jared pressed his mouth against his, kissing him hungrily, tongue sliding against his, drawing his own taste into his mouth.

"Fuck, Jen," Jared panted, breaking away before engaging in another soul searing kiss.

 

Jensen kissed him back just as ferociously, having become so addicted to Jared's lips that he could not go a day without having to have them on him, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere. As Jared pressed against him, their erections returning, he almost gave in and pulled Jared upstairs to take that final step in their sexual relationship. But his sense kicked in and he pulled away, panting heavily.

"Why're you stopping?" Jared asked, panting just as hard. He reached out at curled his hand around Jensen's cock, jacking it slowly. "I know you don't want to stop."

"Jared," Jensen groaned. Why was he being tested like this? His head dropped back and his eyes fluttered closed. He grunted as Jared twisted his fist and moved just so....No. They couldn't do this. Not yet.

Jensen's hand came up and clasped Jared's wrist, forcing him to stop. "No." Jensen told him firmly. "Not yet. You're not ready."

Jared's hand fell from Jensen's dick and he scowled. He huffed and clambered to his feet, tucking himself away hurriedly. "I am, Jensen. I am ready. And I don't understand why you keep stopping it from ever progressing. I want you and I know you want me, so I don't understand what the problem is."

Jensen looked up at Jared, feeling more than a little surprised over Jared's sudden out burst. "You know why, I've told you. I need to be sure you're ready and so far, I'm not. I know you say you are, but I honestly don't think you so. I'm doing this for us, Jared. And it's not just about you being ready. I need to be, too. It's been a long time since sex for me has meant anything..."

The roiling bitterness when he said that was not missed by the younger man. "Jen..." He sighed, knowing that Jensen wouldn't want to talk about what he was referring to. "Never mind. I understand. I'm sorry, it's just," Jared bit his lip, trying to find the right words to say. "It's just...I'm in love with you and I want to be with you completely."

Jensen almost choked on his own tongue. "You're...you're in love with me?" Was it him or was his voice an octave or two higher.

"Yeah," Jared said, smiling slightly. He got back down on his knees in front of Jensen and cupped his face in his hands. "And I know you can't say it yet, and that's ok. But I needed you to understand why I want us to go all the way so bad."

Jensen did understand, he understood all too well. And to say it didn't scare him, well, that would be a lie.

He was petrified.

**

"Hey Jen?" Jared asked, his voice quiet in the darkened room, eyes gazing up at the outline of Jensen's dresser.  
  
"Hmmm?" Jensen mumbled sleepily, curling tighter around Jared.  
  
"My parents are going to be in town tomorrow night and, er, they want to have dinner...with us."  
  
Suddenly Jensen was wide awake, body tightening as his stomach twisted up in knots. "Us?" he squeaked.  
  
Jared turned around in Jensen's arms, looking at him in the dim light. "It's ok if you don't want to go," Jared told him, although he wanted nothing more than for Jensen to go with him so he could show him off to his parents. He was so damn sure his parents would like him, too.  
  
"No, no," Jensen said, reaching up and soothing Jared's hair back away from his face. "It's not that..."  
  
"Then what is it?" Jared questioned, closing his eyes to Jensen's touch.  
  
"Well...would they approve?" Jensen blushed and rolled his eyes at how 1950's he sounded.  
  
"What do you mean?" Jared asked, eyes fluttering open. "They know I'm gay and they're ok with it, like _really_ ok with it. My mom sent us matching sweaters for Christ's sake."  
  
Jensen laughed, picturing the hideous sweaters Jared's mother knitted for them both. "No, I mean because of, you know, how I look. Piercings and tattoos."  
  
"Babe," Jared started gently. "I wouldn't care what they thought about you. I'm in love with you and that's all that matters."  
  
"Cornball," Jensen replied softly, leaning in and pressing his lips gently against Jared's.  
  
"So you'll go?" Jared asked, pulling back, feeling a delicious warmth spread throughout his chest.  
  
Jensen sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he answered. "Yeah, I'll go."  
  
*****  
  
Jared had spoken to his mother earlier that day and they had arranged to meet at a resturant uptown that evening. Jared had let Jensen know, and was now waiting anxiously for Jensen to come pick him up. He looked at his watch and saw that Jensen was running a few minutes behind time. Good thing his parents were notorious for being late.  
  
Just as Jared was about to get his phone and call Jensen, the door bell rang. He hurried into the hallway and opened the door gasping at what he saw. He stood there for a moment, just staring.  
  
"What? Don't I look right?" Jensen asked, looking down at himself, smoothing out the traditional black suit he was wearing.  
  
"No, you look fine...but Jen...you look so normal."  
  
Jensen smirked. "Normal, huh? Guess that's not such a good thing." He stepped past Jared and into the house.  
  
"No, it's not that," Jared told him, blushing as he closed the door. "But what's happened to your piercings...and your hair?"  
  
"Took them out and what's wrong with my hair?" Jensen's hand reached up to smoothe it down.  
  
"Why did you take them out?" Jared asked, frowning, ignoring Jensen's question.  
  
"So your parents won't run out screaming." Jensen said as if it were obvious.  
  
"Jen," Jared walked up to Jensen and cupped his face, leaning in to kiss him. "You don't have to do that. I wanted them to meet the man I fell in love with, piercings and all. If they don't like it, it's tough. But don't think I don't appreciate it, because I do. I really, really do."  
  
Jensen smiled and pulled away from Jared. "I've just got to go to the bathroom." He left Jared standing there, wondering whether he had offended his boyfriend.  
  
About five minutes later, Jensen came out of the bathroom, and walked back into the hall where Jared was waiting for him. Jared went hard in zero point five seconds, making him feel light headed.  
  
"Jesus," Jared breathed, fingers twitching at his sides, wanting to reach out and touch Jensen. His piercings were now back in place, shirt off and discarded, jacket draped over his shoulder. Now he was just in his slacks, dress shoes and a black wife-beater, tattoos on display.  
  
"Sorry," Jensen smirked as he took in the look of lust on Jared's face. "Couldn't do much about my hair."  
  
Jared didn't respond verbally, instead he stepped up to Jensen and pushed him against the wall, pressing their mouths together in a violent kiss. Jared groaned as his hands fisted at Jensen's sides, fingers clinging onto the black material of his wife beater. He pushed his tongue into Jensen's mouth and ground against him, moaning desperately as Jensen kissed him back with equal force.  
  
"Jay," Jensen gasped as he managed to pull away. "We gotta go."  
  
"Fuck," Jared cursed, suddenly wishing they could cancel their plans. He forced himself away from Jensen and ran his fingers through his hair. "Ok, right. Let's go."  
  
Jensen smiled at Jared, wide and open, and gave him one last kiss. "Tonight," he promised and his smile widened at the look of hope on Jared's face.  
  
******  
  
"Jared! Baby!" his mother called from the other side of the restaurant, drawing more than just his attention as she stood and waved. He loved his mother, he did, but she was more flamboyant than Mike!  
  
"Hey mama," Jared said in greeting as soon as he was close enough. He then found himself in a hug that could rival one of his own.  
  
"Ooo, it’s so good to see you!" she all but squealed, holding him tightly, even though he towered over her.

"You too, mama." He gave her a kiss on the head and pulled away, turning toward his father and giving him a ‘manly’ hug. "You too, dad." He pulled away, giving his dad, who returned his sentiment, a pat on the back

"And this must be Jensen," Jared's mom said, smiling warmly. "Good to meet you, honey."

"Good to meet you, too, ma’am." Jensen said politely, holding out his hand for her to shake, but was a little taken back when she pulled him into a hug.

"None of that ma’am stuff, ok? Call me Sherri."

"Ok…Sherri," Jensen spoke as he awkwardly hugged her back.

"My," Sherri started as she pulled back, looking at his face, taking in all the metal that adorned his features, "aren’t you very modern."

"Mama," Jared whined, face flushing slightly. "Stop it."

"Oh hush, Jared," she scolded lightly. "I was just saying is all. And besides, I quite like this look. It’s very…"

"Artistic?" Jared’s father supplied helpfully.

"That’s it! Artistic." Sherri smiled widely and stepped back slightly so her husband could introduce himself.

"Glad you could make it, Jensen. I‘m Jerry." Jared’s father shook his hand, his grip firm but pleasant.

"Me too, sir," Jensen replied, shaking his hand as enthusiastically as he could muster…he was thrown for a loop a little, finding the free attitude of these people a little overwhelming. "It’s good to meet you."

"Oh, and what lovely manners!" Sherri exclaimed. "You hold onto this boy Jared, otherwise I won’t be very happy."

"Kill me now," Jared muttered, low enough so that only Jensen could hear. He looked at his love, who was hiding a grin behind his hand and glared at him as much as he could.

"I heard that, young man," Sherri said, sitting down in the chair her husband had pulled out for her. "You could stand to learn a few things from this one it seems," she teased. "Your mother must be very proud."

"Actually," Jensen said as he sat down next to Jared, "my mom doesn’t really know much about me. I haven’t seen her for nearly ten years."

"Oh, I am sorry," Sherri apologised sincerely, her eyes expressing her remorse. "I don’t mean to pry, but is she…"

"Dead?"

Sherri nodded, chin resting on her clasped hands.

"No. She left my father with me and my brother and sister. They, er, they didn’t have a great relationship, especially after I came out to them, and I guess it got to be too much for her and she left."

"Oh dear. That’s dreadful," Sherri gasped, bright red lips parted in exclamation. "How on earth did your father cope?"

"He didn’t. He turned to alcohol for a crutch, and me and my older brother Josh looked after my little sister and ourselves."

"Jen," Jared muttered, looking at his lover in stunned silence. This was the first time Jensen had said anything about his family and he was a little bewildered that he would choose now to open up. "You don’t…"

"I know," Jensen said, looking at Jared and smiling slightly. "It just felt like the right time to say something."

Jared didn’t know if he could agree with that, but he wouldn’t argue it. He guessed that Jensen felt at ease with his parents and felt less cornered letting Jared into his past with the present company.

"Shall we order drinks?" Jerry piped up after a moment or two of silence, and both younger men were thankful for the distraction, each knowing that tonight would bring a pretty heavy conversation.

*******

Jensen loved Jared’s parents, that’s all there was to it. His mother was funny and such a flirt, while his father was down to earth and a total gentleman. It was easy to see how Jared turned out the way he did.

Sherri had tried to get Jerry to go down to Intricate Inks so Jensen could give him a tattoo, but Jerry was having none of it. Then Sherri suggested she would go down herself and Jerry put a halt to that, too.

"You’re getting boring in your old age," she told her husband, pouting in a very motherly way. Then again, she was so unlike any mother Jensen had ever met.

"Thank you dear," Jerry said dryly, rolling his eyes toward Jensen, who tried not to laugh.

"Don’t encourage her," Jared told him, also trying not to laugh. "She's bad enough as it is."

Jensen had just turned and given Jared a small kiss on the lips, pulling away when he heard Sherri coo.

Again, he loved Jared’s parent’s.

With hugs and kisses goodbye and promises for a visit, the two couples parted ways, each person looking forward to soft downy covers.

Jared and Jensen drove back in a comfortable silence, Jared’s hand on Jensen’s leg, the light pressure comforting.

When they got inside Jensen’s place, they got into their sweats before sitting on the couch, lights off, the only illumination coming from the full moon outside.

"Why did you wait till tonight to say anything about your parents?" Jared asked quietly, not bothering to tip-toe around the subject. His fingers played with Jensen’s hair as he lay his head on his lap.

"I really don’t know. It felt right to finally say it. I guess I just couldn’t lie to your mom." Jensen spoke quietly, his voice husky from all the laughing he had been doing that night.

"That’s it?"

Jensen was quiet for a long moment, trying to sort through his thoughts. Finally he said, "I felt safe there…with you…with them. I felt like I didn’t need to hold onto it any longer--I feel like I want to let you in…" Jensen took Jared’s other hand and placed it against his chest, just above his heart, "…here. I can‘t, I can‘t say those words yet, but I want you to know I feel them and I want you to know that I trust you with my heart."

Jared didn’t say anything, just leaned down and pressed his mouth gently against Jensen’s, conveying all he needed to say in that one simple action.

"I want to know more," Jared spoke honestly, once he had pulled away, voice raspy with emotion. "I want you to tell me everything, the good and the bad and for you to know I am not going anywhere. But not right now," he paused, taking a breath. "Right now, I want you. I don’t want you to hold back anymore. I want you to love me the way I’ve wanted you to since I first met you. I want you inside me, so I forget where I finish and you begin. I need you so much. Please Jensen, please. Don’t deny me. Not any more."

Jensen swallowed and pushed himself up, manoeuvring so he was sitting on Jared’s lap, straddling his legs.

"Ok," he breathed against Jared’s lips. "Ok."

**

The first press of lips was nothing more then a gentle caress, two sets of lips just pressed against each other, a soft slide of mouths. Jared’s hands moved and came up to cup the side of Jensen’s face, holding him there as his neck arched up a little to increase the pressure.

"Are you sure you want this?" Jensen asked, pulling away slightly. His heart was already pounding and he could feel his cock beginning to stir in his boxers.

"Yes," Jared whispered, eyes wide a pleading. "I want this so badly…have for so long."

"Ok," Jensen breathed and moved off Jared. He stood and held out his hand for his lover to take, pulling him to his feet. "Not here. I want to do this right."

Jared smiled warmly as he allowed Jensen to lead him into the bedroom. The room was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight as it filtered in from the window. "I can’t believe you’re mine," Jared said, stepping closer to Jensen as the other man turned to face him.

Jensen didn’t say anything, just reached up to tangle his fingers in Jared’s hair, pulling him down for a kiss that was so different from the kiss they shared on the couch. The intensity of it made Jensen's head swim, but he allowed Jared to bruise his lips, using his teeth in such a delicious way, tugging and pulling, drawing groans from deep within his chest.

"Christ," Jensen groaned as Jared pulled away and trailed hot, wet kisses along his cheek and down his neck.

"Want you," Jared moaned, stubble scratching along Jensen’s own. "Want you inside me."

With those words, Jensen took the control back and pushed Jared down, using his weight to shift them so that he was lying on the soft duvet-covered mattress, hovering over his lover.

Jared gasped, head arching back as Jensen bent his own down and sucked and licked at Jared's pulse point, causing his blood to ignite. Jared's fingers dug into Jensen’s back, holding him tightly against himself, arching his hips, pressing their erections together in a sweet crush.

"Want you," Jensen panted against him, hands moving down to his waist and pulling at Jared’s t-shirt, his intentions clear. "God, Jay, want you so bad."

With that, he was pulling at his t-shirt, ripping it up his body, forcing Jared to lift himself slightly so Jensen could pull it over his head. Jared could feel the heat pooling in his stomach, making his cock throb in time with his rapidly beating heart, craving Jensen’s touch.

Jensen travelled downward, his mouth kissing and sucking Jared’s left, then right, nipple, like he was desperate for them.

Jared arched and moaned, hands coming up to clutch in Jensen’s hair. His nipples were so sensitive and before long, he felt the head of his cock begin to ooze precum, making him delirious with pleasure. It seemed Jensen noticed what he was doing to him, and was suddenly pulling away with a parting lick, leaving his nipples blood red and as hard as pebbles.

He made little work of the rest of Jared’s clothes and was soon in between his legs, tasting him, loving him, in the way they both craved. He was pressing his tongue against Jared’s opening as his hand moved over his cock, causing the other man to gasp and writhe. Jared’s hand clutched the sheets, trying to hold on to something, anything, that would anchor him. Jensen had never done this to him before, never laved over his quivering hole with his tongue, but Jared couldn’t get enough of it; he grasped the back of Jensen’s head, trying to get him closer.

Jared’s back arched as one finger penetrated him, sliding in easily along side the tongue that was still lapping at his most intimate part, seeking out that exact spot in him that made him see stars. He had never felt pleasure like this before; Jensen knew exactly how to touch him.

 Jared’s left arm was raised and was holding onto the edge of the headboard, while his other hand was still firmly planted in Jensen’s hair, fingers wrapped around the silky strands, holding him there, not giving him the opportunity to pull away.

"Fuck," Jared moaned, arching his back as he felt his balls begin to tighten. It was obvious Jensen sensed it too, feeling the way his muscles were tightening, because he had stopped stimulating him, instead kissing the inside of his thighs, letting him calm down.

"Not yet, baby," he whispered gruffly. "Gonna make it last."

Jared groaned and his eyes slipped shut as he let himself relax. "You’re driving me crazy," he admitted, his voice wrung tight in desperation.

Jensen didn’t answer. Instead, his mouth moved back over him, but instead of travelling back up his body, Jensen took the tip of Jared’s cock in his mouth, sucking on it, tongue pressing against the slit.

"M-more!" he cried, pulling at Jensen’s hair. He let go of the headboard to pinch his own nipple, pulling on the tender bud, giving himself extra stimulation.

Jensen did as he asked, doubling his efforts, mouth opening wide and taking the solid shaft further down his throat, sucking him as deeply as he could. Jared tasted so good, so musky and male…so right, and he just couldn’t get enough. Jensen could feel himself right on the edge, not even having touched himself.

He slid a finger in his mouth along side Jared’s cock, making sure it was wet enough and then pulled it out and pressed back inside him, searching for that one spot that would surely make Jared fall over the edge.

"Oh God," Jared gasped. "I’m coming, oh God, Jensen, I’m coming…" His back arched as his orgasm suddenly crashed in on him, forcing liquid out of him and into and against Jensen’s waiting mouth.

As Jared came, Jensen swallowed all of the fluid that squirted from him. He tasted so good that Jensen had to wrap his hand tightly around the base of his cock to try and stave off his own orgasm.

As soon as Jared had come down from his high, Jensen was up and pulling off his own clothes before settling back down on Jared’s prone body, lips pressing into his neck. "I wish I could do this slower," he grunted, fingers reaching over the bed side table and pulling a tube of lube out, "but I just can't stop."

"Don't want you to stop," Jared moaned, desperately clawing at his back. He brought his hand up to Jensen’s head and kissed him, tasting himself on his tongue. That, alone, caused his flaccid cock to spark back to life. He shifted slightly to spread his legs, dropping Jensen into the ‘V’, his cock pressing against his balls.

"God," Jensen groaned, leaning back and looking down, eyes taking in the way Jared’s legs were spread, exposing his slightly swollen hole, "what you do to me." He bent his head down and placed his lips around Jared’s left nipple, extracting a moan from deep in his throat.

Jared arched his back, scrambling at the bed. "I want you to fuck me."

"Yeah," Jensen breathed and moved back again so he was kneeling. He took the condom he had also grabbed and slid it on, and the uncapped the lube, spilling a generous amount into his hand.

With his fingers now slick, Jensen pressed one, then, two inside Jared, scissoring them, trying to stretch his lover just enough…

"Please," Jared groaned. "I’m ready, I’m ready. Do it, Jensen, _please._ "

"Ok," Jensen conceded, "ok." He looked up Jared’s body and was pleased to see he was hard again, then moved so he was holding himself over Jared with one arm, the other hand aiding him in pressing his cock into Jared’s waiting body. He aligned himself carefully, then started pressing in.

Jared groaned as he felt Jensen pressing inside him, his muscles giving way to the pressure on penetration. It hurt, but Jared breathed though the pain until Jensen was fully inside him, balls pressed against his ass, trembling above him.

Jensen’s hips started rocking, ever so slightly, causing Jared to gasp and wrap his legs around Jensen’s waist as his arms slid around his neck. He could feel his erection throbbing inside him, making his own throb in sympathy.

"Oh fuck," Jared grunted, feeling the burn as Jensen stretched him. "So...big."

"You ok?" Jensen asked, mouth pressed against his ear.

Jared moaned in reply and Jensen took that as a positive sign, shifting slightly so he could pull out and thrust back in.

Jared cried out as Jensen's cock hit against his prostate, his head pressing back and against the pillows. "Oh fuck," he gasped as Jensen’s mouth latched onto his neck, feeling his teeth against his skin. "Harder. Please….Jensen…harder... don't wanna wait…."

Jensen didn't, either; he just couldn't wait any longer. He needed to have him. He pulled out and slammed back in, thrusting harder as had been commanded.

His balls slapped against Jared, providing a slight vibration that was causing him to claw at his back, groaning and writhing desperately against him.

Jared pulled his mouth away from his neck, devouring Jensen’s lips with his as his left hand snuck between their bodies and took ahold of his cock, jerking it fast and hard, having no patience to go slow.

Jensen could already feel his orgasm licking at the base of his spine and he was damned if he was going to come first.

"C'mon baby, that's it," he grunted, forehead resting against Jared‘s. "Fuck yourself on me, get yourself off. Do it. Come on baby, come."

Jared groaned as Jensen hit his prostate over and over, and his orgasm hit him without warning, his muscles spasming and clamping down on Jensen, liquid heat spurting from his cock. He held onto him as he rode out the waves, barely aware of him stiffening and coming inside the condom, the pulsing of his cock sending shockwaves of pleasure up his spine.

Jensen continued thrusting into Jared as he came, trying to prolong it. Finally, the last of the fireworks ebbed away, and he sagged against his lover, whose body was lax against his.

"Holy fuck," Jared whispered, his legs dropping down to the mattress.

"I second that," Jensen said, moving carefully from Jared’s body with a reluctant sigh, discarding the condom. He got up and went to the bathroom, getting a wet cloth to clean them up, gently loving Jared’s skin as he removed the evidence of their love-making. As soon as he was finished, he threw the cloth down and lay back down, allowing Jared to curl around him.

The room was silent for a while, and Jared was almost asleep when Jensen suddenly started talking.

"I left home a couple of months after my mom left my dad. I couldn’t cope with the way that he kept accusing me, saying it was because I was a dirty fag, and that I forced her away." He felt Jared tighten his hold on him, but he let Jensen continue. "Josh and McKenzie didn’t say they blamed me, but I could see it in their eyes. So I left. Came here, made enough my to go to college to get a degree in art and started up my business. I actually went to England for a year to study, to get away from all the hassle here, and when I got back, I had a letter from Josh telling me that Dad had died. Alcohol poisoning. I didn’t even go to the funeral. Not that I would’ve been welcome. It hurts that I caused so much hurt and pain, just because I prefer men to women. I haven’t seen my brother or sister since I left, but I know that they’re better off not knowing me. And that’s why I am what I am…what I was. I didn’t have relationships because I was scared that what happened to my family would happen to me, and I didn’t want to go through that, so I pushed everyone away who got too close, instead just sleeping with random guys. But then you came along and wormed your way into my life, and I just couldn’t forget about you. I tried, believe me, I tried, but I fell for you in a big way. When you got mugged, I was so scared that I had missed my chance with you…but I hadn’t and you were there, you were ok, and you wanted me, even though I put you through hell and that I’m a complete fuck up. But, I’m ok with the way I am now, because I have you. You make me forget all the bad things that have happened to me, and I want to make new memories with you for the rest of my life."

Jared didn’t know what to say. It hurt to know what Jensen had been through and what he had to remember, but Jensen's final words are the ones that really struck a cord with him. He pressed his lips against Jensen’s chest before he said anything in response. "You are a wonderful person, and I’m kinda in debt to Chad, because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have met you. You’ve made me feel things I didn’t know I could and I am so glad that you gave us a chance." Jared paused and moved so he could look Jensen in the eye. "No matter what your father said, you are not responsible for your mother leaving. He was just too blinded by the devastation his marriage breakdown caused to see that, not because of you."

"I can’t forget the way he would look at me, as if I was something he had stepped in. I tried to get on with things, but it became unbearable."

"Jensen," Jared sighed, his chest tight at the look of utter betrayal and loss in his boyfriend's eyes, "your father was a weak man. To point the blame at his son was a horrible thing to do, but you got out. And look at you now. I’m so proud to be your boyfriend, you know that? I love everything there is about you; the good, the bad…because that’s what makes you you. And as corny as this may sound, you make me complete and I love you for that. I really do."

Jensen smiled gently at Jared and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I know you do. And I know you understand that I can’t say the words back yet."

Jared smiled back. "I do understand. I don’t care if you never say them, because every time you look at me, I see it. And that’s enough." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips against Jensen’s, kissing away his worries and his fears, erasing every bad thing that was ever said to him.

"You’ve turned me into a corn ball," Jensen laughed as they pulled away from one another, Jared settling down, his head on Jensen’s chest.

"Whatever, I know you love it."

Yeah, he really did.

**

"Do we have to go?" Jared whined from the bed, curled up under the covers as he watched Jensen dry himself off from the shower and slip into clean clothes.

"Yes, we have to," Jensen replied, grinning at his boyfriend. "Besides, you were the brains behind this great idea, so you gotta go."

"Ugh," Jared groaned as he threw the covers off himself and slid from the bed. "Me and my big mouth."

"I happen to like your big mouth," Jensen told him, catching his teeth on his bottom lip as he made a point of looking at Jared’s mouth. Jared just glared at him and headed into the bathroom.

The night before, Jared had thought it would be a great idea for him and Jensen to meet up with a few friends, so that Jensen could meet Chad’s fiancée, and for Jared to introduce Jensen to the rest of his friends as his boyfriend.

But now, in the cold light of day, he realised what a really bad idea it was. All he wanted to do was laze around at home, preferably with a naked Jensen, and just chill. There was only a matter of days before he had to start studying for finals, and he knew he wouldn’t see that much of his lover as soon as he started. He wanted to absorb as much time with him as he could.

Him and his big mouth.

******

By the time Jared was finally ready, Jensen was slouched on the sofa watching reruns of _Full House_.

"You know," he started, as Jared approached him, "those Olsen twins were the weirdest looking babies."

"Ain’t much better now," Jared muttered back as he walked over to the TV set and turned it off. "You ready?"

"Yep. You?"

"No," Jared sighed. "Do we really have to go? You know Tom and Mike already."

"Yeah, but you gotta meet my buddies, too, so come on. Let's go."

Jared sighed again and started walking towards the front door. He was stopped by Jensen’s hand on his arm, pulling him back.

"You’re so cute when you sulk," Jensen whispered to him, stepping closer and brushing his lips against Jared’s. "All I want to do bite and suck on that lip."

Jared gasped as his mouth opened willingly beneath Jensen’s. He almost stumbled a little when Jensen stepped away, still caught within the momentum of the kiss. "Tease," he grumbled walking out past Jensen.

Jensen just laughed and followed his lover, eyes locked firmly on his ass. "You love it," he said, knowingly. He laughed again when Jared did nothing more than flip him off.

******

"Whoever chose to meet in this particular bar should be shot. It's full of old men and skanky girls," Jared griped.

"Quit your bitching," Mike slapped Jared on his back, making the younger man glare at him. "You know this place makes the _best_ mojito."

Okay, so that may be true, but that didn’t mean that he had to like being here. He’d seen the looks some of the old dudes were throwing at his boyfriend and that made his already threadbare temper fray just a little more.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Jared’s mood perked up slightly when he heard his best friend's voice, indicating his eventual arrival.

The group around the table all waved or voiced a greeting, but were mostly intent on their drinks and the current string of conversations.

"Dude," Chad started as he walked up to the table. "Who the hell chose this dive?"

"Thank you!" Jared exclaimed, his head bobbing in agreement. His eyes flickered over to Jensen who was smiling at him softly. He grinned back and turned back to the blond. "So," he peered behind him, "aren’t you missing someone?"

"She’ll be here in a minute," Chad told him, already looking in the direction of the bar. "Girl stuff or some shit." He shrugged as he went to order drinks, leaving his friends to it.

"He seems to be in a strange mood," Tom observed. "You think she took her ‘yes‘ back?"

Jared shrugged, peeling at the label on his empty bottle. "Who knows with him. He was pissed at me for a week for wearing his goddamn socks. Claimed I stretched them."

Jensen laughed and leant down and kissed Jared on the top of his head. "That I can believe, baby."

Jared narrowed his eyes and pushed Jensen away, pouting petulantly. "Piss off."

"Uh-oh, what’s the baby sulking over now?" Chad asked as he came back over to the table, tray filled with shots. "You steal his candy, Jensen?"

"Dude, I had nothing to do with it!" Jensen cried, feigning innocence.

Jared scoffed and reached for a shot glass. "Hey, where’s Nix?"

Before Chad could answer, a soft voice spoke, accent thick with England. "Some one talking about me?" She sidled up beside Chad, wrapping an arm around his waist, leaning into him. She nodded to the group, but when she turned and saw Jensen, she jumped in surprise, face filled with shock, matching that on Jensen’s own face. "Jensen?"

"Nix?" Jensen sounded incredulous, even to his own ears, and he knew that his friends were looking at them both with confused expressions. "Holy shit!"

Nix laughed delightedly and launched herself at Jensen who willingly caught her, hugging her and swinging her around, laughing with her. He placed her back on the floor but didn’t stop hugging her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her, pulling back slightly so he could look at her, eyes shining with excitement.

"I’ve just moved here!" she told him. "Jesus, Jensen, this is so weird. I was only thinking to say I should give you a call…"

"Wait, wait, wait. So you and Chad?" Jensen glanced over at the younger man before looking back at the woman in front of him.

"Yeah," Nix confirmed, nodding her head. "Me and Chad."

"This is so freaking serial!"

"Ok, could someone explain to me what the Hell is going on?" Chad's voice broke the moment between the two apparent friends, causing them both to turn their attention to the rest of the group.

"We know each other," Jensen laughed, gesturing between them.

"Babe, we kinda get that," Jared said lightly, smiling at them.

"Wait. You and Jared??" Nix asked going back to Jensen, looking for all the world she was going to start squee-ing. "He got you to, you know, quieten down?"

Jensen blushed and snuck a look over at his boyfriend. "Yeah…he kinda did."

Nix looked genuinely pleased. "Wow. And dude. Way to go! He’s freaking hot!"

"Hey!" Chad called indignantly.

"Oh babe, you know I’m all about your cock," Nix rolled her eyes, and smirked at the sputtering sounds around the table.

"I like her," they heard Mike say before Chad reiterated his question.

"Oh, right. We kinda met in London. I was working part-time in a tattoo parlour, just cleaning up and shit, and we kinda ran into each other one day-"

"My friend was getting a tattoo," Nix interjected.

"And we kinda got to talking and it went from there. Went for drinks and she let me practice on her." Jensen paused, thinking about how that sounded. "Tattoo’s, that is. Hey, you get any more?"

"Hell no. Nothing could come close to a Jensen Ackles original, so I left it. Wouldn’t mind another, though."

"Actually, I’m free most of tomorrow, you wanna come to the studio and I’ll do one for ya?" Jensen asked, smiling as her eyes widened at the offer.

"You serious?" At his nod, she squeeled and pulled him back into a hug. "Fuck yeah, I wanna go! I want you to do ‘the design‘, ok?"

"Really?" Jensen gaped at her as he pulled back. "You want that?"

"Ever since you showed me, I can’t get it out of my mind. I want it…as long as you don’t mind, that is."

"Of course I don’t mind," Jensen grinned.

"So," Jared stood and reached for another drink as well as one for Jensen. "Drink?" He couldn’t help but feel a little niggling of insecurity starting in the pit of his stomach at the closeness and _history_ Jensen shared with Nix. But he shook that feeling away. This was his boyfriend and his best friend's girl he was talking about.

Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t act a little jealous.

*******

The evening passed in a blur of alcohol and randomness. Jared and Chad really let themselves loose, the stress of studying for finals weighing on them both heavily. The night was actually a much needed relief and Jared felt pleased he had come out, and had even got over his jealousy, especially when it seemed Chad was jealous enough for the both of them. Plus, the blow job in the bathroom had helped…a little. Ok, a lot.

Now they were back at Jensen’s place, and Jensen was struggling with his keys as Jared pressed up against him, sucking on the back of his neck, teeth scraping against his sensitive skin every so often.

"Jay, stop for a second, would ya?" Jensen said, his breath coming in short pants.

"Can’t," Jared moaned, clutching at Jensen’s hips. "You taste…so good…"

Jensen eventually got the door open, and they stumbled inside, drunk on lust, heads spinning with want. They fumbled their way to the bedroom where they fell on the bed, Jensen on top of Jared, but that quickly changed as Jared rolled them so he was on top.

"Want you," he groaned, crowding Jensen against the mattress, pressing his mouth against the hollow of his lover's throat, enjoying the little whines that vibrated against his mouth.

"Jare," Jensen breathed, heart rate picking up, but for an entirely different reason. He could feel the sweat on his body turn cold as Jared told him what he wanted.

"Need to be inside you, Jensen. God, need it so bad," Jared allowed his hand to trail along Jensen’s side, down to his ass where he cupped and kneaded the flesh.

"Off," Jensen groaned, voice strained for the wrong reasons.

"Yeah," Jared thought he was agreeing to Jensen wanting to remove their clothes. He started to fiddle with Jensen's fly, trying to work it open.

"Off, get off," Jensen started to shout, his eyes wide with sudden fear, heart beating far too erratically. "No…Jared, off, get off!" Jensen’s fist flew out in his panic, hitting Jared square in the face causing the younger man to yelp and fly off him, falling off the bed, cracking his skull on the floor.

Jensen panted as the fear abated, leaving him shakey and feeling oddly empty.

"What the fuck?" Jared grunted from the floor. His head killed and his face throbbed. He stuck his tongue out, touching his lip tenderly, grimacing when he tasted blood.

"Jared…"

Jared looked up at Jensen and recoiled when his lover reached out to him. "Don’t," he said quietly, standing on unsteady legs. "Just don’t."

"Jared, please," Jensen said, feeling hollow as Jared backed away from him. "I’m sorry, I just panicked. I-I felt trapped and I couldn’t…so I-"

"So you hit me?" Jared mumbled incredulous. "Nice, Jensen. Nice."

"No!" Jensen exclaimed. "It was an accident! I didn’t mean to. Please Jared. Don’t-don’t go."

"I can’t-" Jared took a breath and stepped back again. "I can’t stay here. I…finals…and yeah. Gotta study."

"Jared," Jensen pleaded, his eyes wide, shiny-bright with sudden wetness that he refused to call tears. "I’m sorry." What else could he say?

"Yeah, you said." Jared looked at Jensen, his heart hurting. But the throbbing in his cheek and head held him defiant. "I should go."

Jensen’s shoulders sagged and he nodded, defeated. Damn his fucking issues and damn him fucking self. "Right, finals. I get it. You should, then."

Jared took a sharp breath and nodded once. "Fine. I’ll see you." He grabbed his jacket and left the room, not stopping until he was outside and only then did he let himself sag against the door, wanting to know what the hell had just happened.

"Yeah." Jensen replied to the sound of his front door closing. He collapsed back and stared up at the ceiling, eventually falling asleep, cold and alone.

**

The next couple of weeks were hell. There was almost complete radio silence between Jared and Jensen, and neither knew how to fill it.

Jared absorbed himself in his studies and then finally, his exams.

When he came home that fateful night, Chad had asked what happened. Jared just said he fell off the bed. Well, it wasn’t a complete lie, but how could he say that Jensen hit him? The concept seemed foreign to him, and even though he didn’t doubt that it had been an accident, he couldn’t help but wonder why Jensen had freaked so badly. And how could he bring it up with the him? How could he look him in the eye and ask him what other dark secrets were left hidden? Simple answer: he couldn’t. Not when he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know, too scared that the reason might be something to do with him.

 

So he kept his lips sealed and just waited. They would reach neutral ground again, he was sure of it.

Yeah, right.

*****

Jensen had been in much the same predicament, except that he felt ashamed and couldn’t bring himself to even be around his lover, for fear of the anger and hate he would see in the Jared's eyes. They spoke on the phone occasionally, talking about nonsensical stuff, avoiding the subject that needed to be talked about most. He let Jared study in peace, while he worked flat out.

The day after the incident, he had done Nix's tattoo as promised, but try as he might to be upbeat and be the man she knew him to be, she clued in to his angst within ten minutes. He had finally broken down and told her what happened and why. He got two slaps on the back of his head for his trouble.

"You need to talk to him about why you freaked. You owe him that much."

Jensen sighed and concentrated on moving the needle. He knew she was right, but he felt things for Jared he hadn’t felt in a long time, and he was too afraid to lose it.

"I’ll wait until finals are over…"

"Jensen…"

"Jeez,Nix, just let it go."

"Fine, but for my trouble, you’re getting something done, too. No way I’m gonna be the only one suffering today."

Thankful for the lull in that particular conversation, he allowed Nix to coerce him into something he had been meaning to get done for a while but never got the chance. Now seemed like a great time.

******

Jared collapsed back onto his bed, sighing in relief. He threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light and just relaxed.

Finals were over. College was over. His life as he knew it was over.

He slowly drifted to the edge of sleep, Jensen not far from his mind, when the phone started ringing. He groaned and waited for Chad to answer, but after the fifth ring and no sign of the other man, he struggled up and lunged for the phone before who ever it was hung up.

"’lo?" he answered, the words heavy on his tongue.

"Is this Jared Padalecki?" came the almost bored tone across the connection.

"Er, yeah. Look, I’m not interested in whatever you're selling…"

The voice laughed, deep and rich. "I assure you I’m not ringing to sell you anything, Mr. Padalecki. My name is Martin Summers and I work for Masters & Son Advertising. I’m actually calling because we have heard very promising things about you, and we would like to offer you a job and to join our team in New York…."

*******

Jared pushed the door to the bar open and walked in, head full of confusion that would best ignored for the time being. Instead, his sole intent was to drown his sorrows and wake up the next morning with the world's worst hangover. Maybe then he’d feel like he had gotten something he actually deserved.

Jared turned away from the bar, beer cradled in his hand, and headed for the furthermost darkened corner. On approach he saw it was already occupied, but before he turned away, he noticed the figure slumped in the chair.

"Chad?"

Chad look up and squinted through red-rimmed eyes. "Hey," he all but grunted, turning back to his drink.

Jared frowned at his unusually sullen friend and took a seat. "Everything ok?" he asked. He watched as Chad picked at the label on his barely-touched beer. Just by looking at him he could see he wasn’t ok, not at all.

Chad took a snuffling breath, a lone tear slipping down his cheek and splashing on the table below. "Nix had a miscarriage."

Jared’s mouth worked soundlessly as the information processed in his mind. "What? Man, I didn’t even know she was pregnant."

"We weren’t going to tell anyone just yet, you know, just in case. Turns out the ’just in case’ was the ending scenario this time round."

Chad looked up from where his gaze was so focused on that peeling label, and Jared could see how broken his friend was. The friend that was always crass and rude and would never do a thing to hurt anyone he cared about, was now drowning in his own despair.

"And you know what the kicker is? I wasn’t even sure I wanted the kid, you know? I just, I was all thinking about how I was too young and how it’d restrict my life…our lives…and now, now I realise what an idiot I was. I want that baby more than anything and now it’s gone and it’s my fault."

Jared swallowed past the lump in his throat and reached out to take Chad’s hand.

"It isn’t your fault. You gotta believe that deep down. Things like this happen. They’re shitty, but unfortunately it’s a part of life."

"But I should have wanted it, should have let Nix and the baby _know_. If I had just been as happy as I was supposed to be, if I had just wanted it as much as I want it right now, then maybe it would be ok."

Jared didn’t know what to say to that. He knew that whatever he did say would fall flat, words hollow and meaningless. _Nix should be here._

"Listen, I’m gonna go and get us a couple of drinks, ok, man? Just…sit tight."

As soon as Jared stepped away from the table, he pulled out his cell and dialed. Chad didn’t need his friends right now; he needed the woman he loved and the only other person who knew what he was going through.

"Hey, Nix? It’s Jared. Listen, you need to come down to _Joe’s_. Chad’s here and…he needs you…"

 

 

******

Jared hadn’t been back at the table for longer than fifteen minutes when Nix turned up, her face tired, but otherwise ok. He smiled softly at her, mouthing an ‘I’m sorry’ before he left his friends to it.

"Chad?" he heard Nix say and he watched as Chad looked up and a split second later his face creased, the dam suddenly opening as tears spilled down his face. Jared’s heart broke for his friend as he saw him wrap his arms around her waist and bury his head into her stomach. Nix, in turn, leant forwards and held him close, letting him cry.

As Jared walked away, leaving them to lean on each other, he knew what he had to do.

******

Jensen was woken from a fitful sleep to the sound of banging on his front door. He wasn’t going to answer it, he was going to let the annoying fucker keep trying until their knuckles were sore and they gave up. He’d been up all night last night, not able to sleep and now it was almost 6pm and he just wanted to sleep!

But it seemed that this person wasn’t giving up. So after at least five minutes, Jensen swore and pulled himself out of bed, grumbling to himself about noisy assholes and stupid, stubborn bastards. He pulled open the door, ready to yell at the person, but all thought left his mind as he saw Jared standing there, looking a little worse for wear.

"Jared…"

"Can I come in?" Jared didn’t wait for Jensen to answer him, just walked past him into the apartment.

Jensen shut the door, his mouth suddenly dry and his heart going ten to the dozen. "Jared. What are you doing here?"

"I came because we need to talk…"

_Uh-oh…_

"Yeah? What about?"

"About me…about you…about us….fuck Jensen, it’s been weeks since I’ve seen you properly and I’ve had enough. I’m sorry about what happened that other night. I don’t know why you freaked out, but I know it had something to do with me and I’m sorry."

Jensen’s eyes widened in disbelief. _He thinks it’s his fault?_

"God, Jay, no," Jensen walked towards him, wanting to reach for him, but instead halting a few inches away. "It was nothing you did. It was me. I just…I’ve never… _fuck_ …I’ve never bottomed, ok? Never wanted to, not since some guy tried to force himself on me. I just couldn’t."

It was Jared’s turn for his eyes to widen, but this time in horror. "Some guy tried to rape you?"

Jensen’s cheeks flushed red with shame, but he nodded all the same. "He almost did, but some guy walked by and saw what was going on, and pulled him off me. I didn’t even say thank you to the guy, just pulled up my jeans and ran."

"Jesus, Jensen. Why didn’t you say anything?" Unlike Jensen, Jared allowed himself to reach for his lover and pulled him to him, large hands reaching up to cup the side of his face.

"Because I was ashamed. Ashamed that I let myself be that weak. It was just after my mom left and dad and I had a pretty big fight, so I stormed out, went to a friend's party and got drunk, ran into some guy and thought I wanted to…you know, but when I said ‘no’ , he wouldn’t stop. I’ve never told anyone about that and ever since then, I’ve been having sex on my terms and my terms only."

"That explains a lot," Jared admitted. "But Jensen, you have to know I would never do anything to hurt you. I mean, you know that, right?" Jared pleaded with his eyes, suddenly scared that Jensen didn’t trust him like Jared thought he did.

"Yeah, Jay," Jensen whispered, his own hand coming up to brush Jared’s hair out of his eyes. "I know. I’m sorry I lashed out, I just panicked. I think it was because I was drunk and my thoughts were getting all confused and I just lashed out. I’m so sorry I hurt you."

Jared smiled gently. "It’s ok. I understand. I shouldn’t have walked out the way I did. Should’ve stayed."

Jensen didn’t answer, just nodded. He leant in to kiss Jared, but pulled back when he realised the younger man was leaning away.

"What…?"

"I need to tell you something else." Jared took a deep breath and dropped his hands, knawing on his bottom lip. "I, er, I got a phone call today, from Masters & Son. They're an advertising agency in New York and they’ve offered me a job--"

Jensen took a step back, his body going cold. "They offered you a job? Have you accepted?"

"I told them I would let them know…"

"I take it that you’re going to!"

Jensen didn’t mean to raise his voice, but emotions started swirling around in his head, confusing him, making him act suddenly rash.

"So let me get this straight. You get a phone call and don’t tell me until now? Don’t tell me that you’re going to be leaving me after just waltzing into my life, turning it upside down, stripping me of who I was?"

Ok, now would be a great time for his brain to kick in, but he was on a roll.

"After making me fall in love with you? Well, you know what, Jared? Fucking go! Leave me alone, because that’s what I deserve, isn’t it? Goddammit, Jared, how could you make me love you and then leave mmph--"

Jensen hadn’t even noticed Jared moving towards him until he was right there, lips smashed against his own, punishing with his mouth, drawing his breath from him. He pulled back as suddenly as he approached.

"Would you let me finish?" Jared asked, panting slightly. "I already phoned back and told them as much as I appreciated the offer, I couldn’t take it. I had been waiting my entire college career for an offer like that, but I realised last night that I have been waiting my whole life for you." Jared’s left hand came up and cupped his cheek, thumb running along Jensen’s lower lip. "I chose you, Jen - would chose you every time, because I love you."

Jensen let that sink in and when it did, he punched Jared in the chest, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough for emphasis.

"You asshole! You made me think that you were leaving me!"

"Hey," Jared laughed lightly. "You didn’t let me finish. And besides, it was worth it for you to admit that you love me."

"I what?" Jensen frowned as he replayed what he had said in his mind and he took a sharp breath as he remembered clearly that he told Jared that he loved him. "Oh shit." It was like a light bulb going off, light up his eyes as he smiled. "I love you. I love you." He sucked in a breath and looked at Jared. "Fuck, Jay, I love you!"

Jared smiled back and pulled him close, holding on to him as Jensen’s arms wrapped around him, clinging to him as if he was afraid to let him go.

"I love you," Jensen whispered again into Jared’s shoulder, his whole being feeling suddenly light.

"I love you, too," Jared replied. He lifted his head and looked at Jensen before he leant forwards, brushing his mouth sweetly against his lover's. "Need you." He mumbled. "Been too long."

"Yeah, Jay, yeah." Jensen mumbled back, but then pulled away again with a curse. "What’s the time?"

Jared looked at him, puzzled for a moment, before looking at his watch. "Six thirty, why?"

"Goddammit to Hell!" Jensen exclaimed. "I promise fucking Chris and Steve I would play a set with them tonight. I have to be there in thirty minutes."

"That’s cool," Jared said, feeling disappointed. "I’ll come watch. And I’ll see if Tom and Mike are up for it. I’ve never seen you play on stage before. Bet it’s hot." Jared’s voice dropped a notch and his eyes darkened.

That caused Jensen to have a brain wave that made his blood ignite at the mere thought. He smirked at Jared.

"You know what else would be hot…."

**

Jared felt the vibrations strike again and could do nothing but bite his lip and bend his head forward as he fought not to rock on the chair in the middle of the bar he had gone to with his friends and his boyfriend. Said boyfriend was sitting there, staring at him, huge grin on his face as he fingered the remote control.  
  
"Jay, you ok, man?" Jared heard Tom say, a look of concern on his boyish face.  
  
"Ugh-yu-yeah," Jared stuttered, trying to remain in control of his body. The vibrations suddenly stopped and he was able to take a deep breath and smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
Tom studied him for a while, but soon seemed satisfied with his answer and turned back to Mike, who was trying to balance as many shot glasses as he could on his face.  
  
The whole evening had gone on like this, even while Jensen was on stage, the ass had managed to get Jared on the brink of orgasm just by touching that tiny remote control he had in his pocket, only to switch it off, allowing him to calm down and then start over again.  
  
"You sure you're ok?" Jensen leaned forward and whispered in Jared's ear, his warm breath tickling his skin. "You look kinda hot." Jensen's tongue trailed across the shell, his piercing rubbing over one of Jared's hot spots.  
  
"I'm going to get you back," Jared panted, feeling the way his ass was clenching around the butt plug and how his cock was pressing against the inside of his jeans.  
  
"I can't wait, baby," Jensen said, his voice sounding ever so smug, and rightly so. His thumb pressed against the small remote in his hand, switching the vibrations on again. He heard Jared whimper and his stomach pooled with lust as he watched his lover barely contain his writhing movements.  
  
Jared was quickly losing control, his hips starting to roll as the vibrations sent sparks of pleasure into his prostate and up his spine.  
  
"Jen," he whispered hoarsely, reaching up and wrapping his hand around Jensen's neck. "I think..." He closed his eyes tightly and bit off a whine as Jensen turned the butt plug off again.  
  
"What do you want?" Jensen asked, voice silky smooth, piercings glistening in the dim light. "You want to come now? In front of our friends? Or do you want to go home and let me fuck you?"  
  
"Home," Jared panted, eyes wide and glazed. "Please, Jen...need you."  
  
Jensen nodded and downed the rest of his drink before standing, pulling Jared with him. "We're outta here, boys," Jensen saluted them, "have a good night."  
  
They both ignored the cat calls, too intent on getting back to the car and back home where Jensen would fuck Jared for the first time in close to three weeks. Neither one of them had ever been so grateful for the end of the night.  
  
******  
  
The ride back to Jensen’s place was blissful torture for them both. While Jensen wasn’t using the remote to stimulate the toy inside Jared, each bump and hole in the road worked just fine. By the time Jensen had stopped the vehicle, Jared was a writhing mess.  
  
It took some time and some manoeuvring, but they eventually made it inside and into the bedroom, mouths sealed together in a lusty embrace. Jensen had Jared laying on his bed before the other man could understand what was happening, his chest heaving, head thrashing back and forth as the butt plug pressed so deliciously against that place inside him.  
  
Jensen stood above Jared for a moment, just looking down at him, taking in his flushed face, his blown pupils. He felt his heart stutter and his dick throb as he saw, wholly, how debauched Jared looked. Fuck, he needed him. Had to have him. Now.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Jensen muttered as he tugged at his fly while he kicked off his shoes, “this is gonna be fast.” He could feel his need burning through him, singeing every nerve ending in him. As soon as he managed to pull down his jeans, he worked on Jared, who was boneless and moaning on the bed, the butt plug obviously doing its job.  
  
“Please,” Jared moaned, hips rising against Jensen’s hands as he rid him of his lower clothing.  “Please.”  
  
Jensen put a condom on and lubed up in 10 seconds flat after Jared’s pants hit the floor. He knelt between Jared’s legs, pushing them up and apart as he looked down at Jared’s most intimate area, seeing the purple plastic peeking out. He felt sweat drip down the back of his neck and knew instantly that true to his word, this would be fast.  
  
As quick as he dared, he pulled the butt plug out, watching Jared’s every movement, listening to his every moan and groan. As soon as it was clear of Jared’s body, he threw it aside, the toy now useless. He swallowed tightly as he lifted Jared’s legs and sunk into his pliant lover, not giving him any further prep; the toy had loosened him enough.  
  
Jared’s eyes suddenly grew wide as he felt Jensen enter him, an odd, but extremely pleasurable feeling igniting his blood.  
  
“What…what did you do?”  
  
Jensen grunted as he pulled out and plunged back in, trying to keep it slow, but needing it harder. “Got my cock pierced. Did…” he moaned, Jared’s ass squeezing him so tight. “Did it for you.”  
  
Jared moaned deep in his throat. The feeling coupled with the image Jensen’s words created making his eyes roll up in his head. The butt plug had already got him half way there, but this was too much.  
  
“Oh fuck, Jared…oh, I can’t, I can’t hold on….” Jensen's breath sped up and suddenly, with Jared's ass tightening around him in a vice-like grip, he let out a deep, guttural moan and came, pulsing within Jared, filling the condom. His hand slid between their bodies, and he grasped Jared’s cock, wrapping his fingers around it. He had barely touched it for a second and Jared was coming, crying out desperately, hips making staccato movements as he rode out the waves, continuing to fuck himself down on Jensen.  
  
Eventually, their bodies went still, completely wrung out from the teasing that had been endured all night and then the intensity of it all. Coupled with the fact that they hadn’t been together in while, it built up to the extent that now, after releasing all that pent up energy, they could do little but throw the condom in the bin and curl into each other, drifting quickly to sleep.  
  
*******  
  
A few hours later, Jared woke up to his stomach rumbling. He blinked owlishly at the clock on the bedside table, and tried to get the little red numbers to come into focus. He groaned when he saw it was only 4am. Serves him right for not having anything to eat the whole evening.  
  
He carefully slid out from under Jensen’s arm, not wanting to wake his lover. As soon as he was free, he stumbled out of the room, down the hall, and into the kitchen. He made quick work of the left over Chinese he found in the fridge, satisfying his hunger. Well, that kind of hunger, anyway. Just the thought of Jensen, naked from the waist down, was doing naughty things to him. He dumped his rubbish in the bin and made his way back to the bedroom, but not without making a quick stop at the bathroom to do something about his Chinese-breath.  
  
Jensen was exactly how Jared had left him, arms sprawled across the pillows, face tilted and serene in the sliver of moonlight that managed to seep in through the curtains. He took the few steps needed to get to the bed and sat down on the edge, right next to Jensen’s hip. He could see the inked lines of a tattoo peaking out and couldn’t resist the need to pull back the covers to have a better look. But as the tattoo was revealed Jared didn’t stop; he pulled it back further and further, until Jensen’s limp cock was revealed, a silver ball at either side of the head visible.  
  
Jared swallowed heavily as he felt a stirring of arousal in his gut. He reached out and gently slid his finger across and around the jewelry, biting his lip as he tried not to whimper. As he continued to touch him, Jensen’s cock began to show signs of interest, but he was so enthralled he didn't notice Jensen had woken up until he felt him sit up.  
  
“You like?” Jensen murmured, his voice silky and low, traces of sleep still clinging to him.  
  
“Yeah,” Jared breathed, fingers still stroking against the head of Jensen’s cock. Jared looked up when Jensen reached down and tugged his hand away.  
  
“Jared,” Jensen whispered. “I want…I want you to…”  
  
Jared understood what Jensen was trying to say, and his eyes went wide. “Are you sure?”  
  
“More than anything. I love you, Jared. Please, I need you.”  
  
Jared cupped Jensen’s face gently as he brushed their lips softly against each other, before pulling back. Just knowing what Jensen was asking was making Jared’s blood pulse rapidly through his body. He had to make this good for him; had to make Jensen forget about the terrible experience he'd had. Jared kissed Jensen again, deeper, but no more hurried.  
  
Jensen moaned, his lips parting to allow Jared to lick into his mouth, whimpering as Jared‘s tongue flicked over the metal bar going through his. His hands gripped at Jared’s shirt, fingers clenching so tight, as Jared’s own hand slid round to the back of his head, sifting through the short hair at the nape of his neck.  
  
“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” Jared groaned, breaking away for barely a moment. Their lips met again as they moved fully onto the bed and Jensen’s weight settled down on Jared, moulding him into the mattress.  
  
“Got to get you out of that shirt, Jared,” Jensen gasped as he struggled to get Jared’s t-shirt out of the way. Jared pushed Jensen off him and he sat up and yanked the offending material away, discarding it on the floor. He saw Jensen’s pupils dilate as he took in the sight of the younger mans bronzed torso. Quickly, Jensen’s own t-shirt followed and then he was being pulled back down onto Jared. As their now-naked bodies touched, heated flesh against heated flesh, they both shook with pleasure, feeling sparks fly between them.  
  
Jensen took Jared’s mouth in a smouldering kiss, his hands exploring the curve of Jared’s sides, feeling the skin break out in goosebumps under his touch.  
  
Jared’s back arched as Jensen found his nipples, and had to pull back from the kiss, groaning at the pleasure flooding through his veins.  
  
Jensen’s mouth slowly moved down Jared’s neck, placing hot, wet kisses on his way, suckling at the pulse point, gently biting down on the sensitive skin. Jared’s hips bucked beneath his, wanting, needing the friction, but Jensen just continued on.  
  
He traced a wet path with his tongue to Jared’s right nipple, watching it harden as his breath caressed over it. Looking up at Jared’s face, he saw that his lover’s eyes were following his every move. He grinned as he stuck his tongue out and traced over the hardened bud. His grin broadened as Jared threw his head back and groaned, fingers clenching at the back of Jensen’s head.  
  
Jensen suckled on it for a few more seconds before biting it gently and moving on to the next. Jared was writhing beneath him, and he had to close his eyes to regain his equilibrium, blood rushing from his head to his groin.  
  
Noticing Jensen‘s predicament, Jared used it to his advantage and flipped them over, Jensen now on his back with him on top. Seeing the surprised look on Jensen‘s face, Jared leaned down and fused their mouths together again. His hips started to rock into Jensen, dragging his heated erection against Jensen’s own.  
  
“J-Jared…I-you gotta stop-I’m near-I’m gonna-” Jared got the message and ceased all movement. He pulled back and leaned over the side of the bed, looking for the tube of lube he knew had dropped there earlier. He saw it almost immediately and reached for it, pullling it out triumphantly. Turning back to Jensen, he froze, his eyes widening at the sight. Jensen lay with one leg bent, an arm tucked underneath his head, lightly stroking his cock.  
  
“Come ‘ere.”  
  
Jared did as he was told and allowed Jensen to pull him back down on top of him. They lay there for a few moments, just looking at each other.  
  
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jared asked gently. “It’s ok if you don’t; there’s no rush.”  
  
Jensen smiled at the younger man, his hand stroking his face. “I want it…want you. Now, just shut up and fuck me already.”  
  
Jared laughed and kissed Jensen gently before working his way down his body. Jensen shook with passion he had never felt before, and when he felt Jared’s lips envelopethe head of his cock, he thought he would come right there. But before he could, Jared pulled away, a gleam in his eye, telling Jensen that he was not ready for it to end so soon.  
  
Jared moved lower, his tongue running over Jensen’s tight balls, moving lower still, until he had his tongue running along and in Jensen’s puckered opening. The taste of his lover was intoxicating, musky and so…Jensen. It was driving him wild. He needed more—had to have more.  
  
He hooked his arms under Jensen’s knees bringing his legs over his shoulders so he could get better access. As soon as he had his tongue back where Jensen wanted it most, the older man started pushing his hips down, trying to get more of Jared inside him.  
  
Soon, Jensen was begging for more, so Jared blindly popped the cap on the lube, coating is index and middle finger in the substance. Slowly, he pushed one finger in, watching, listening for Jensen’s reaction, but all he saw was Jensen’s head thrashing, his knuckles white from clenching the sheets so hard. Encouraged, Jared pushed in another. This time, he was met with resistance, but that soon dispelled as he started to scissor his fingers, thrusting them in and out of Jensen’s quivering hole.  
  
“Please!” Jensen gasped. He needed his lover inside him, all of him. “Jared—need you. Need you to fuck me.”  
  
“Yeah—yeah, okay.” Jared pulled his fingers out and groped for a condom. He slid it on a quickly as his shaking digits would allow and then generously covered his cock in lube. Soon, he was pushing into Jensen, the tight heat that was surrounding him causing his head to swim.  
  
Jensen’s fingers clenched at Jared’s back, blunt nails digging into his skin as the younger man pushed into him. Jensen could feel the sharp stab of pain shooting up his spine, but when Jared was inside him completely, he held still and waited.  
  
Slowly, the burning began to abate and his hips started to shift back onto Jared.  
  
Jared took Jensen’s gentle thrusts to mean that he was ready, so he pulled out only to slide slowly back in. Jared’s cock pulsed in the tight heat, the pleasure thrumming through his veins. He pulled out again, this time slamming back, Jensen arching underneath him.  
  
"I love you," Jared whispered in Jensen’s ear as he picked up the pace, grazing his prostate.  
  
Jensen cried out, his nails scraping down Jared's back almost painfully.  
  
Jared lifted himself up onto his hands, planting them on either side of Jensen‘s head, getting leverage that enabled him to hit his prostate over and over again. He leaned down and captured his lover’s mouth in a searing kiss that was all tongues and teeth.  
  
Jensen reached in between their bodies, dragging his thumb over his piercing. He only did it twice before he began to feel his world spinning away from him.  
  
"Fuck, Jen, so good….so tight." Jared’s thrusts were getting desperate as his orgasm was approaching. “Gonna come, baby.”  
  
“Do it,” Jensen grunted. He could feel Jared was close to climax, so he clenched his ass muscles, making himself tighter for his lover. Jared hit his prostate again and again, and soon Jensen was experiencing the highest form of pleasure.  
  
Jared shook in his arms, his thrusts getting more frantic, and as he felt the warm splash of come on his abs, his body tightened and he released into his lover, following Jensen into oblivion.  
  
******  
  
Seconds turned into minutes and they had found the energy to do nothing more than discard the condom and wipe themselves over with Jared’s discarded t-shirt. Now they laid curled together, Jensen’s head on Jared’s chest, his fingers tracing around his nipple.  
  
“That….that was ok, wasn’t it?” Jared asked quietly in the darkened room.  
  
Jensen looked up to see Jared worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “Jay, it was better than ok. It was amazing and perfect and everything else I was hoping it would be.”  
  
Jared smiled and kissed Jensen on the top of his head. They were silent again for a while and Jensen had almost dropped to sleep when Jared spoke again. “You know Nix had a miscarriage, right?”  
  
Jensen nodded his head slightly. “Yeah, I know. She’s taking it well, though.”  
  
“Better than Chad,” Jared agreed. “They’ll be ok, though.”  
  
“Yeah,” Jensen replied knowingly. “They will. They’ve got each other and that’s all they need right now.”  
  
“Like us.”  
  
“Yes, like us.”  
  
“I want a tattoo.” Jared said suddenly, causing Jensen to lift his head up and look at Jared properly.  
  
“Er, you remember what happened the last time, right?” Jensen smirked, remembering Jared’s failed attempt.  
  
“Shut up,” Jared grunted. “Besides, I didn’t really want one then, but now, I do.”  
  
“Oh yeah, well, what is it?”  
  
“You’ll just have to wait and see, babe. So, will you do it for me?” Jared asked, hopeful.  
  
“Yes, but if you pass out on me again, then that’s it. I won’t even consider it again.” Jensen told him firmly, smirk soothing the force behind the words.  
  
“I promise I won’t,” Jared told him, settling back down. “Sleepy now.”  
  
Jensen snorted, but lay his head back down. As sleep finally came to him, his mind was picturing how hot Jared would look with a tattoo.

**

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Jensen looked over his glasses as he peeled away the transfer paper from Jared’s groin, leaving the impression of the design Jared had decided on. He watched Jared closely, waiting for any sign of hesitation.  
  
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Jared told him, even though his voice shook slightly.  
  
Jensen looked at him a little longer before he nodded gently and took a hold of the tattoo gun. With the first touch of the needle to his skin, Jensen felt Jared tense up, he could literally feel how tight his body was wound. “You ok?” Jensen asked, looking up quickly.  
  
“Y-yeah,” Jared breathed, trying to relax. “Just wasn’t expecting it.”  
  
Jensen didn’t answer; instead he just went back to concentrating on the task at hand. He shifted slightly to get a better angle, brushing his arm against Jared’s boxer-covered crotch. He heard Jared gasp again, but paid it no mind.  
  
It was when he was nearing the end of the tattoo that Jared started shifting, his hips moving restlessly against the chair. Jensen sighed and pulled the needle away. “Jay, you need to keep still. I’m almost done.” He looked up at Jared’s face, finding his cheeks flushed and his pupils blown wide.  
  
“Sorry,” Jared all but whimpered, but he seemed to make a conscious effort to control himself.  
  
Jensen tore his eyes away from Jared’s face and moved to go back to what he was doing. His arm brushed against Jared’s crotch again, and was startled to find him hard. He raised an eyebrow and looked back up at his lover.  
  
“Jay?”  
  
Jared groaned, embarrassed, and threw his arm across his eyes. “I can’t help it,” he said, voice pitched low, as if he didn’t want Jensen to hear him. “Your arm keeps…rubbing.”  
  
Huh. Jensen wondered how he could’ve missed that. He didn’t say anything else, just turned back to the almost-complete tattoo, making sure, this time, to rub against Jared a little harder, a little more demanding.  
  
“Fuck, Jen,” Jared whispered, trying to keep his hips still. The pain from the needle combined with the friction from Jensen’s arm was causing shockwaves of pleasure to run up and down his spine.  
  
Jensen could feel a damp patch against his arm where Jared’s cock was leaking, and he had to bite back a groan of his own and force himself not to reach down and fist his own erection.  
  
Two strokes of the needle and he was done. He placed the gun down and cleaned Jared up, covering the area with the after care gel before he pulled off his latex-free gloves and yanked down Jared’s boxers.  
  
“Fuck, Jared. Do you know how fucking sexy you look right now?” Jensen stood up so he could get a better look at him, taking in how debauched he looked, and how the black ink of the new tattoo stood out in contrast to the pale skin of his groin. His cock was red and swollen, and, just by looking at his tight balls, he could see how close to the edge Jared really was. “Christ,” he moaned and quickly undid his jeans, pushing them down to his knees, along with his boxer-briefs. His hand scrambled across his work station; looking for the petroleum jelly he kept there.  
  
Finally, Jensen found it and plunged his fingers into the plastic jar, scooping out probably more than he needed and smeared it over his cock. He glanced at Jared’s face and saw that he was watching him with hooded eyes.  
  
He lowered the back of the chair so Jared was lying flat and then crawled onto it, kneeling in between Jared’s now splayed legs. It suddenly hit him that he was glad he invested in one of those hydraulic chairs instead of those crappy portable ones; otherwise they would probably be on the floor.  
  
“Gonna fuck you,” Jensen said as he pressed a slick finger into Jared, letting it slowly sink inside.  
  
“Please,” Jared moaned, arching off the chair, fingers digging into the padded vinyl beneath him.  
  
Jensen added a second finger, then a third as he stretched Jared open, avoiding his prostate until the final pass.  
  
Jared gasped, his hips thrusting back down, only to find Jensen had removed his fingers. “Jen,” he whined his voice deep and throaty with arousal.  
  
“Ok,” Jensen said, taking Jared’s left leg and hooking it over his shoulder, “ok.”  
  
Jensen pushed into Jared slowly, groaning as the tight heat clenched around his dick, his piercing dragging oh-so-pleasurably against Jared’s insides.  
  
“Fuck,” he swore as he completely sheathed himself inside. He held still as he waited for Jared to relax, biting his lip to hold off the fast and demanding rhythm that was simmering under his skin.  
  
Jensen shifted his hips slightly and that caused a gasp to expel from Jared’s mouth, his breath fanning across Jensen’s neck. Goose bumps broke out across his skin, making his shiver. “Gonna fuck you,” he whispered again, his tongue flicking out to taste Jared’s neck.  
  
“Please,” Jared whispered, in a shattered voice. “Now Jen, God, move...”  
  
Jensen didn’t need any further encouraging; he pulled out until the head of his cock was barely inside and then snapped his hips forward, hitting Jared’s prostate immediately. Jensen could feel the added effect his piercing was having on his lover, if the way his eyes rolled up into his head was any indication.  
  
  
He grunted as his pace picked up a little, his hands were planted against either side of Jared’s head. He ducked his head until he was able to take Jared’s lips in a violent kiss; his tongue tasted every inch it could reach.  
  
Jared broke away gasping, his eyes squeezed tight.  
  
“Look at me, baby,” Jensen panted; his right hand working its way between their bodies in order to grasp Jared’s throbbing erection. Jensen pumped his fist in time with his hips, feeling the first licks of his orgasm at the base of his spine.  
  
Jared opened his eyes and looked at Jensen, and that’s all it took. Jensen thrust deeper and harder and after three more thrusts, he was falling so hard into the abyss, as his orgasm was ripped from him.    
  
Jared was only seconds behind him, arching up like a porn star, shooting over his chest and stomach, soiling his t shirt. He babbled nonsensically as Jensen continued to ride out his own pleasure, still pulling at his cock.  
  
Gradually, the tremors waned, and all that was left was two trembling bodies that clung to each other like nothing would ever be able to separate them.  
  
******  
  
Jensen moved and Jared’s leg slipped from his shoulder. He pulled out slowly, mindful of how sensitive Jared was after an orgasm, and slid to his feet. He felt lust curl in his stomach once more as he saw Jared lying on the hydraulic chair, his t-shirt covered in come and looking completely fucked.  
  
“Mmm,” Jared moaned, stretching his body. “I’ve wanted to do that for the longest time.”  
  
“Huh?” Jensen asked, not really paying attention as he once again sees Jared’s new tattoo.  
  
“I’ve wanted you to fuck me on here for the longest time.” Jared sat up and swung his legs over the edge, grimacing at the feeling in his ass provoked by the lack of condom and the good reaming Jensen had just given him. “I didn’t plan on it being today, though.” He grinned as he saw Jensen looking at his groin. “It’s that good, huh?”  
  
Jensen blinked and looked up. “Huh? Oh. Yeah. Fuck Jay, it looks hot.” He blindly reaches to his work station again, this time for wet wipes. He hands them to Jared, who takes them gratefully.  
  
Jared chucks the soiled wet wipes in the garbage and pulls his boxers back up, leaving his jeans where they had been kicked on the floor. He strolls over to the mirror on the back of the door and pulls down his boxers at the front in order to have a look.  
  
“Wow,” he breathed, running his fingers lightly over it. “I love it.”  
  
Jensen walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I have to put some tape over it,” he tells him, but neither made a move to turn away.  
  
“Thank you.” Jared says suddenly. “Not just for this, Jen, but for everything. I’m so glad Chad forced me to come here with him.”  
  
“Me too” Jensen kissed Jared’s shoulder lightly, eyes locked with each others in the mirror. “You know, I’ve kind of come to terms that this is it.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“That me and you, this is it for the rest of my life. And I’m not scared about that. You make me not scared.”  
  
Jared smiled brightly, although it was unable to disguise the sudden wetness in his eyes. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you, too, Jay.”  
  
They stood there for moments on end, one just looking at the other, each without doubt in their mind that Jensen was right. This was it, for the rest of their lives.  
  
******  
  
Two Years Later  
  
Jared and Jensen sat at their table, watching the newly married couple on the dance floor. They grinned as their friends played up to the audience, adding a spin here, and a dip there.  
  
A lot had happened in the past two years, including Jensen getting in contact with his brother and sister, thanks to Jared and Chad, and a detective they had enlisted. Chad and Jared graduated college, but Jared stayed to do his masters and Chad was thinking about medical school. Jensen still worked in the tattoo parlor; he had added to his collection of tattoos and had even persuaded Jared to add to his. Plus, Chad and Nix tied the knot, with Jared as Chad’s best man and Jensen giving Nix away. All in all, the two years had been a rollercoaster that had been worth every second.  
  
There was a sudden smattering of applause as the song finished and both Mike and Tom took a bow before heading over to Chad and Nix who were sitting contently together, Chad cradling his wives six-month pregnant belly in his hands.  
  
Jared watched his friends, smiling softly, unable to believe how far they had all come.  
  
“So, I was thinking,” Jensen said suddenly, pulling Jared’s attention over to him. “We’ve been together for just over two years, how about if next time, it’s our turn.”  
  
Jared just stared at him, a confused look in his eyes. “What?”  
  
Jensen sighed and rolled his eyes. “Jared, babe, I’m trying to ask you to marry me, so don’t look at me like I’m crazy, ok?”  
  
“You’re what?”  
  
  
“I’m asking you to marry me.” Jensen put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a simple velvet box. “I was going to wait, but I just couldn’t any longer. I want us to get married, Jared; I want us to be together. I want it to be me and you and marital bliss, perhaps a couple of sprats down the line.” He opened the box to reveal a silver band and held it out to Jared. “So, do you want to?”  
  
Jared’s lips quirked in a grin, the smile slowly spreading until it was splitting his face wide, his eyes were literally sparkling with happiness. “Hell yeah, I want to.”  
  
Jensen grinned, and looped his arm around Jared’s neck, pulling him towards him, fusing their mouths together.  
  
“I love you.” Jared murmured against Jensen’s lips as he let him slip the ring on.  
  
“I love you, too, so much.”    
  
Their intimate moment was disturbed when Chris walked up to them and sat down next to Jensen. He peered over at them, and his eyes fell on the ring on Jared’s finger.  
  
“And what the hell is this?” He demanded, a smile in his voice, as he took a hold of Jared’s hand.  
  
“Uh…”  
  
“Hey!” Chris shouted. “Mikey get over here! The J’s are trying to steal your thunder!”  
  
Jensen glared at his friend while Jared turned bright red, trying to pull his hand away from Chris’s grip.  
  
“What’s this?” Mike asked as he approached, Tom trailing behind him.  
  
“They’re getting married!” Chris exclaimed. “My boy just proposed!”  
  
“Well,” Mike started lowly, “as you already know, I’m not an asshole, so all thunder stealing aside, congratulations!” He yanked Jensen up and gave him a hug and then gave Jared the same treatment.  
  
“Hey, what’s going on?” Chad asked as he and Nix headed over.  
  
“Jensen asked me to marry him and I accepted.” Jared said, smiling.  
  
“Fuck dude! That’s awesome!” Chad cried, leaping at Jared to hug him, who laughed and returned the hug with as much vigor. Sniffling caused them to pull away and both looked over at Nix who was busy swiping at her eyes.  
  
“Babe” Chad questioned. “You ok?”  
  
“Fine,” she replied with a huff of breath “Just these fucking hormones.”  
  
“Oh, Nix,” Jensen chuckled as he hugged her to him.  
  
 “It’s getting ridiculous, you know.” She told him, holding onto his jacket. “I cry at everything. I cried this morning because I cut a piece of wrapping paper too small for their wedding gift.”  
  
“You’re too cute, you know that?” Jensen said, pulling away and running his thumb under her eyes, sweeping away the tears.  
  
She rolled her eyes and hit him on the arm. “Shut up. Anyway, since we’re announcing things,” she looked at Chad and he nodded, smiling brightly. “Chad and I were going to tell you later, but last week, we found out that I’m having a boy. And we wanted to know if Jared and Jensen would want to be his God parents.”  
  
“Really” Jensen asked excitedly.  
  
“Yes really. You’re my best friend and Jared is Chad’s and we both love you guys so much…so yes.”  
  
“Well, the answer is yes, of course!”  
  
*****  
  
The wedding reception continued, but it was celebrating so much more. The small group of friends stayed together, laughing, joking, reminiscing and speculating. Not one of them could have imagined that this was the way their life would have turned out, but if each of them could go back and change anything, good or bad, they wouldn’t. If they did, then they wouldn’t be where or who they are now, and that didn’t bear thinking about.  
  
They were happy, their friends were happy. What more could they ask for?  
  
The End.

 

 


End file.
